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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Information Memorandum 12-22-2000DECEMBER 22, 2000 1. COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE: TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 7:00 PM TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 7: 00 PM 2. MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 3. MONDAY, JANUARY], 2001 4. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 7:00 PM 5. THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 7: 00 PM 6. MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 7:00 PM 7. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY I0, 7:00 PM 8. THURSDAY, JANUARY 11, 7:00 PM Dummy REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY City Offices closed NEW YEAR HOLIDAY City Offices closed PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, Medicine Lake Room YOUTHADVISORY COUNCIL, Medicine Lake Room ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE, Council Chambers PARK & RECREA TION A D VISOR Y COMMISSION, Council Chambers 9. A List of future Regular Council Meeting agenda items is attached. (M-9) 10. November, December, and January Calendars are attached. (M-10) CITY CO UNCIL INFORMATION MEMO December 22, 2000 Page 2 1. NEWS ARTICLES, RELEASES, PUBLICATIONS, ETC. a) Items related to the December 18 derailment of a Canadian Pacific train. 1) Public Safety Department Community Information Notice to residents regarding the incident (I -]a. 1) 2) Star Tribune news article with photo on the derailment. The story also ran on page A-18 of The New York Times (I -]a. 2) b) Brochure received at City Hall in the mail from Canadian Pacific Railway officials with information on trains traveling through the Plymouth area. (I -lb) c) Letters from Planning Manager Barb Senness to residents regarding items on the January 3, 2001 Planning Commission agenda. 1) Variance for Parkers Lake Baptist Church (20186) (I -1c.1) 2) Rezoning, Conditional Use Permit, Preliminary Plat and Site Plan for GM Homes (20103) (I -1c.2) 3) Variance for Darin and Kami Aho (20180) (I -1c.3) d) Sun Sailor news story on the Kids Vote and voting results from Hopkins School District 270. Precincts 11 and 17 participated in the program. (I-1 d) 2. MINUTES a) Park and Recreation Advisory Commission December 14 meeting. (I -2a) 3. STAFF REPORTS a) Suburban Transit Association Legislative Agenda. (I -3a) b) Promotion of new materials accepted in the City's recycling program. (I -3b) 4. CORRESPONDENCE a) Congratulatory letter from Mayor Tierney to Minnetonka Mayor Karen Anderson on Mayor Anderson's election as Vice President of the National League of Cities. (I --4a) . S. LEGISLATIVE ITEMS a) Association of Metropolitan Municipalities AMM FAX News. (I -5a) M .01 q Tentative Schedule for City Council Non -Consent Agenda Items January 9 • Oaths Of Office for Joy Tierney, Mayor; Sandy Hewitt, Councilmember Ward 1; Bob Stein, Councilmember Ward 1; Judy Johnson, Councilmember at -Large • Oath of Office to six firefighters (City Clerk Sandy Paulson) • Study Area E • Public Hearing for liquor license application for RT Minneapolis Franchise LLC, d/b/a Ruby Tuesday • Consider Board and Commission recognition event, Ward Meetings, and Goal and Objective session. • Adoption of Ordinance amending Chapter 5 of the City Code relating to official maps • Approve agreement for Hilde Performance Center (tabled from December 19) January 23 • Oath of Office to Steven Thomas, Police Officer • Vacation of "Del Place" street right-of-way adjacent to Lots 8-11, Block 7, Sunset Acres Addition • Vacation of utility and drainage easement in Outlot C, Drakeland Business and Technical Center • Public Improvement Hearing for 2001 Street Reconstruction Program • Public Improvement Hearing for Magnolia Lane street reconstruction north of Sunset Trail OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS December 2000 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday T Thursday Friday Saturday Jan 2001 1 2 Nov 2000 S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30 31 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7:00 PM TRUTH IN TAXATION 7:00 PM CHARTER 7:00 PM PACT - Bass Lake Room 7:00 PM HUMAN HEARING, COMMISSION, RIGHTS Council Chambers Bass Lake Room 7;00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, COMMISSION - Medicine Lake Room Council Chambers 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, 5:30 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING TO REVIEW FIRE DEPT. TASK FORCE REPORT, Council Chambers 5:30 PM CELEBRATING PARTNERSHIPS 2000, Ply. Creek Center 630 PM MEDICINE LAKE WATERSHED EOC U t fioMM ITTEE, Medicine Lake Room PM PRAC, Council Chambers 7:00 PM PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY BOARD, Public Safety Library Medicine Lake7:00 Room 7'00 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING TO INTERVIEW BOARD/COMMISSION CANDIDATES, Lunch Room 7;00 PM EOC, Council Chambers I 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 5:30 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL TOPIC: Discussion of Fire Task Force Report, Council Chambers 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council HanukkahPonuelNG, begins at sunset Chambers 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY - City Offices closed 31 modified on 12/22/2000 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS January 2001 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 NEW YEAR'S 7:00 PM 7:00 PM DAY - City PLANNING HUMAN Offices Closed COMMISSION, RIGHTS Council COMMISSION - Chambers Medicine Lake Room 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 7:00 PM YOUTH 7:00 PM REGULAR 7:00 PM EQC, Council Chambers 7:00 PM PRAC, Council ADVISORY COUNCIL, Medicine Lake Room COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 7:00 PM SPECIAL PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: ORIENTATION, Medicine Lake Room Chambers 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BIRTHDAY 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, 7:00 PM HRA - Medicine Lake Room 5:30 PM EMPLOYEE HOLIDAY (Observed) - City Offices Closed Council Chambers 7:00 PM PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY BOARD, Public Safety Library PARTY, Medina Entertainment Center 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Medicine Lake Room 7:30AMS OCAL BUSINECOUNCIL, Radisson Hotel 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers 7:00 PM PACT - Bass Lake Room 28 29 30 31 Dec 2000 Feb 2001 S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 1 2 3 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 25 26 27 28 31 modified on 12/22/2000 Ni -i0 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS February 2001 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Mar 2001 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 LAKE WATERSHEPM D 2:00 (EQB) MMITTEE, SUBCO Bass Lake Room (This meeting only) 2 3 PM - 7:00 PM FIRE & ICE: FESTIVAL, Parkers Lake Jan 2001 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - Medicine Lake Room 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Medicine Lake Room 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 7:00 PM PRAC, Council Chambers 7:00 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: Discussion of the organizational structure of the Fire Department, Public Safety Training Room 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL 7:00 PM EQC, Council Chambers 7:00 PM HRA - Medicine Lake Room MEETING, Council Chambers 7:00 PM PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY BOARD, Public Safety Library 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 PRESIDENTS 7:00 PM 6:30 PM DAY - City PLANNING MEDICINE Offices Closed COMMISSION, LAKE Council WATERSHED Chambers (EQC) UB -COMMITTEE Medicine Lake Room 25 26 27 28 7:30 AM LOCAL BUSINESS COUNCIL Radisson hotel 7:00 PM PACT - Bass Lake Room 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers modified on 12/22/2000 PLYMOUTH PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT COMMUNITY INFORMATION NOTICE DECEMBER 18, 2000 TRAIN DERAILMENT On Monday morning, December 18, 2000, at 7:10 a.m., an eastbound Canadian Pacific Railway train, carrying 102 cars derailed in Plymouth. The derailment occurred north of Schmidt Lake Road, between Minnesota Lane _and Fernbrook Lane North. At this time, the cause of the derailment has not been determined. No injuries were sustained and no danger is posed to the community. All 102 cars of the train were carrying molten sulfur. Twenty-nine of the 102 cars left the track. Only 2 of these 29 derailed cars remain upright. The other 27 cars are laying on their side down an embankment. To the north of the derailment is the Hampton Hills Golf Course and to the south are wetlands. The inherent inaccessibility of this area poses challenges to the rescue crews and will make restoration slow. Officials estimate that a minimum of 24 hours will be needed to restore the railway. During this time, Schmidt Lake Road from Minnesota Lane to Fernbrook Lane North will be closed to traffic. Heavy equipment will be used during the recovery and residents can expect to hear the load noise of machinery throughout the restoration. During the evening hours, large lights will be used to illuminate the site. Because the cars were carrying molten sulfur, although it is not anticipated, residents may detect a faint smell of sulfur, which is similar to the smell of rotten eggs. Due to the precarious position of the cars on the embankment and all of the equipment being used, we ask that all children be kept away from the site and that onlookers abide by the boundaries established by the removal team. It is the priority of all involved to protect property and to ensure that the sight is left restored. Canadian Pacific Railway Representatives John Berg ene Cell 612-590-6560 Office 612-347-8209 Laura Baenen Cell 612-799-0831 Office 612-347-8271 Plymouth Public Safety Department 763-509-5160 news freetime travel homezone cars.com workavenue shopping communities Metro/Region Nation/World Business Sports Variety Opinion Fun & Games Talk PUT _.,� ,!oat , EXPERIENCE CE SATUUR RN METRO REGION TO WORK. 8 Print this page Train carrying sulfur derails in Plymouth OM Find related Tuesday, December 19, 2000 items A Canadian Pacific Railway train derailed Monday morning in Plymouth, and 27 tank cars containing sulfur tipped over, railway officials said. No one was hurt. Tt Return to top Several tank cars leaked molten sulfur, but it solidified in the cold and didn't pose a danger, railroad spokesman John Bergene said. The cause was under investigation, he said. Canadian Pacific crews brought heavy equipment to the accident site Monday afternoon on the main line three-fourths of a mile west of Interstate Hwy. 494. They hoped to have tank cars moved and the line reopened by early Wednesday, Bergene said. Derailed tank cars hit two electric transmission line poles and knocked out power to about 1,700 customers for more than two hours Monday morning, said Lance Hovland, vice president of energy distribution for the Wright -Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association. Laura Baenen, a railroad spokeswoman, said the 102 -car train was headed east when 29 cars went off the track about 7:10 a.m. All but two of the derailed cars were on their sides, and some slid down an embankment, she said. The accident closed a lane on Schmidt Lake Road for several hours, police said. — Staff reports © Copyright 2000 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. MITH0 EGIOR Published Monday, December 18, 2000 .'r'� Off the tracks w >� h Richard Sennott / STAR TRIBUNE Qstartn ,corn I&Metro A Canadian Pacific Railway train derailed in Plymouth, tipping over 27 tank cars containing sulfur, company officials said. No one was reported injured. At least one tank car was leaking molten sulfur, but the material solidifies in cold weather and is not expected to pose a danger, two company officials said. ® Copyright 2000 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. CANADIAN Communications & PACIFIC Public Affairs l. RAILWAY 1—Wil 1� City Administrator/Mayor: Suite 1705 Tel (612) 347-8209 501 Marquette Avenue (55402) Fax (612) 347-8350 PO Box 530 (55440) Minneapolis Minnesota December 15, 2000 Our Company frequently gets phone calls from individuals, real estate agents and cities with questions about all phases of our operation. Questions typically deal with the amount of train traffic that can be expected, hours of operation and other livability issues that most neighbors would want to know. The frequency of calls has grown in recent years as housing and other types of development has expanded in suburban areas. Because Canadian Pacific Railway has rail lines running through or in close proximity to your city, we wanted to share with you the enclosed publication dealing with railroad subjects. The brochure contains information in response to the most commonly asked questions as well as an estimate of the typical number of train movements that could be expected during a typical day. The information is to a large degree a snapshot in time that will change as business levels go up and down and our own operations are improved. Obviously, many of the calls we get are from potential home buyers who have an interest in knowing more about the neighborhoods they are considering. In this regard, we are also making a wide distribution of this pamphlet to real estate agencies in the Twin Cities area. Please feel free to use this information or make copies of the brochure, if people make inquiries to your City about our railroad. It is in a form that can be easily reproduced on a copier. Any comments you may have on the usefulness of the brochure would be appreciated. Sincerer, r� Jo n C. Bergene A istant Director Public Affairs E AIL: john_bergene@cpr.ca -C CANADIAN4 ; _om PACIFIC O � r 2 � t � d �T RAI LWAY .los,• Meet Your New Neighbor - the Railroad If you plan to move into a neighborhood border- ing one of Canadian Pacific Railway's lines, we look forward to being your neighbor. At the same time, we want you to know more about us before you make your decision to make sure we have a long and friendly relationship. You should know more about what we transport, how often trains run, and how we use our property. Canadian Pacific Railway's (CPR) heritage is linked to North America's oldest operating railroad and its first transcontinental railway. Canadian Pacific became the first railroad to build a line across Canada connecting the Atlantic and Pacific while its Delaware & Hudson subsidiary in the Northeast is the oldest continuously operating railroad in the U.S. In the Twin Cities, operations include those of Soo Line Railroad Company, which is wholly owned by CPR but does business under the CPR name. We cover 14,000 route miles in both Canada and the U.S., from the Pacific to the Atlantic and beyond Chicago in America's Midwest. The railroad Why should I care about having a rail line as a neighbor? Our railroad frequently gets questions from home buyers who have moved into neighborhoods bordering our rail lines. They are surprised to learn there are many trains on a line they thought was seldom used. Trains at midnight weren't expected. Others are curious about the right-of-way and how we maintain it. It is good to know bef6re you move in what to expect from the railroad. Which rail lines does CPR operate? The map inside shows the general location of the lines the railway owns or travels over in the Twin Cities area. For simplification, CPR lines are described as being in two broad categories. "Main line" routes carry traffic which is moving to or from the Twin Cities or just passing through to another city. Main line routes are the busiest segments and carry the most trains. "Industrial" or "branch lines" connect the through routes with customers or other railroads located in the Twin Cities area. These lines will have fewer trains on them. 0 i takes in $2.6 billion each year almost all from moving freight. In turn, we spend about $1 billion annually on repair, maintenance and improvement of equip- ment and facilities. Our business is international in scope, with goods moving to and from other points in North America including ports for import or export. The goods we carry are closely related to the economy; coal for electricity, grain for food, autos to dealers, clothing and electronics to distributors and so on. When economic activity is booming, there are lots of trains on the move. We hope the question and answer format that follows along with a map of CPR's Twin Cities lines will be helpful to you. Keep in mind, it is a snap- shot in time, subject to change as business levels go up or down and as the railroad changes op- erations. If you have additional questions, call our Public Affairs Department at 612-347-8209 or 612- 347-8271. Are you the only railroad using your tracks? There may be agreements in place allowing a non - owner to operate trains over another railroad's property. It would not be unusual to see several railroads using the tracks of a single owner. For example, numerous rail- roads operate trains through the Midway area between Minneapolis and St. Paul on tracks owned by the Burling- ton Northern and Santa Fe Railway (BNSF). You will want to direct most questions about a rail line to the owner. What is in a typical train? CPR handles a wide variety of materials related to agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and forestry. Long trains carrying grain, coal, automobiles, steel, lumber, paper, fertilizers, fuels, chemicals and all types of manu- factured goods are typical. The trains may be made up of mixed products or carry the same commodity in every car or container. Virtually everything you have in your home, including the materials in -your house, likely moved on a train at some point. (continued inside) When can I expect a train? The simple answer is at any time day or night. Railroads are a 24-hour operation and we schedule trains to depart and arrive at all hours of the day. Extra trains or "unit trains" (solid trainloads of one commodity) are frequently used to handle increases in business and are scheduled to run without regard for the time of day. If demand for a commod- ity goes up, expect additional trains to handle the volume. If volume drops off, expect fewer trains. Remember, a healthy economy means more goods on the move and more trains. How do you set your train schedules? The railroads in North America are really one large interconnected system. A train schedule may be based on the time goods must be on a ship in time to depart from a port 2,000 miles away. The schedule may also be based on the needs of a customer who will use parts on an assembly line within hours of the time it arrives. Other schedules may have flexibility built in because the crew has to stop many times to pick up and drop off freight -cars. For example, a train operating through the Twin Cities late at night may have to meet a Chicago customer's delivery schedules the next day. As a result, schedules are set for all hours of the day. Do you blow whistles? At the present time, our railroad blows whistles in ad- vance of any crossing unless there has been a local ordi- nance to silence whistles in effect for some time. Even if an ordinance is in place, the crew can blow a horn if they believe it is needed to warn someone of the train's presence. In January of 2000, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), which regulates railroads from a safety standpoint, began a formal process which is expected to lead to a national rule requiring the use of train horns. The FRA has already held hearings throughout the country seeking input from communities, safety experts, railroads and others on how horns should be used. They are expected to issue a final rule by late 2000. It will take a year or more to imple- ment a final policy once the rules are known. The new rule is expected to provide a means for silencing horns after certain safety improvements to crossings have been made. Horns are an effective safety device to warn motorists and pedestrians of an approaching train. Locomotives are also equipped with a bell which is used at crossings. What kinds of noises can I expect from a train? Unlike a freeway or busy road, the track is generally a very quiet place most of the time. When a train does pass, you will hear the approach and passage of the locomotives followed by the movement of freight cars and wheels making contact with the rails as the train passes. If it has stopped or is starting, you may hear the sound of brakes being applied or air under pressure passing through piping on each car (air is used to control brakes). There could be sounds from cars bumping together when slowing, or as the slack is taken up when the train stretches out. If you are close to an area where the railroad switches cars or by a siding (extra track) where trains pass one another, locomotives may set for an extended period with the engines idling. (continued on back page) CANADIAN P Twin Cities Rou DESCRIPTION OF LINE SEGMENTS A: CPR's main line route into the Twin Cities from the we Expect 22-24 trains on a daily basis. The line extends we across the Mississippi River near Camden, crosses over Highway 100 south of Brookdale Shopping Center and passes through Crystal, New Hope and Plymouth. The li crosses over Highway 55 at Hamel and extends on throu Buffalo. B: Through the Twin Cities, from Northeast Minneapolis the riverfront near Warner Road in St. Paul, CPR trains travel over main line tracks owned by BNSF. C: CPR's main line route into the Twin Cities from the south. Expect 30 CPR trains a day or more and switchin, activity in the vicinity of CPR's yard. The line extends frc Warner Road south along the company's freight yard, alongside Highway 61 through Newport and Cottage Grc to Hastings. This line is jointly used with BNSF and is under consideration for commuter rail, with the corridor designated the "Red Rock Corridor." CIFIC RAILWAY Jwned or Used ie D: St. Paul industrial lines run along the riverfront through down- town St. Paul, across Chestnut Street, up the side of the bluff and along Ayd Mill Road to the Amtrak Depot in Midway. Expect up to a dozen trains per day, including Amtrak. E: Industrial line that branches off line D above near Shepard Road and West 7th Street, and extends to Ford assembly plant in Highland Park. Expect 5-6 trains daily. F: Industrial line extends west from vicinity of Cleveland Avenue, across 1-94 near Highway 280, past Shriners Hospital for Children, across the Mississippi River and paralleling 27th Street through south Minneapolis. Line turns south, crosses Lake Street and parallels Hiawatha to its terminus in Minnehaha Park. This line is owned by CPR but leased to and operated by Minnesota Commer- cial Railway, which determines train volumes. G: Branch line extends north from a connection with BNSF line near Maryland Avenue, past the St. Paul Water Treatment Plant, through Little Canada to connection with east -west line (H), at 1-694 and Rice Street in Shoreview. Expect 4-8 trains per day. H: Line extends from CPR's distribution center along Central Avenue NE through St. Anthony Village, New Brighton, Arden Hills, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights, North Oaks and White Bear Lake. This line is owned by CPR, but most trains using it are operated by Wisconsin Central Ltd. Traffic volume is largely determined by the number of WC trains operated daily. I: Branch line extending south from Crystal through New Hope, Golden Valley, St. Louis Park, Edina and Bloomington. It crosses the Minnesota River near Shakopee and travels through Burnsville and Lakeville to its terminus in Northfield. Depending on the area, there may be little activity, or up to four trains each business day both directions. The line is also used by the Twin Cities & Western Railroad. This segment is under review as a potential commuter rail corridor and has taken on the corridor designation "Dan Patch Line." J: Branch line extending east from the area of Highways 55 and 100 in Golden Valley, alongside Wirth Park, terminating on the west edge of downtown Minneapolis near Glenwood Avenue and 1-94. Expect a train each direction each work day or on an as needed basis. K: Branch line extends NE from Auto Club Road, along Old Shakopee Road through Bloomington, along Pleas- ant Avenue in Richfield and terminates near Lyndale Avenue two blocks north of the Crosstown (Highway 62). Expect a train each day, each direction. L: CPR transits over lines of to Union Pacific to Rosemount and on its own line to Northfield. Expect 1-2 CPR trains each direction per day. Most traffic on the line is operated by the Union Pacific Railroad. M: Industrial branch line running north from Rosemount, paralleling Highways 3 & 149 to its terminus at the north end near Highway 13. Expect a train each direction each business day or as needed. N: Industrial branch line extending from Line A near Camden, south along 1 st Avenue North to its terminus near Plymouth Avenue. Expect one train each way per business day. O: CPR owns or operates over trackage extending from just west of 1-494 in Eden Prairie, running east through Hopkins and St. Louis Park to south Minneapolis. The tracks are used primarily by the Twin Cities & Western Railroad. CPR does provide service as needed to one customer located along the line, which parallels 29th Street. This portion of the railroad line is owned by Hennepin County and has an adjacent bike and hiking trail. Do you carry hazardous materials? V Heating fuel, perfume, safe drinking water, healthy crops, soft drinks. These are life's necessities and conveniences and they contain hazardous materials. Railroads carry these materials to manufacturers all over North America. We follow strict federal rules as to how it is done. The regulations specify the types of containers and markings to be used, placement areas in trains and information that must be available should an accident occur. Railroads work with local emergency responders (fire, police, emergency management) to understand the nature of the materials being carried and to develop plans to deal with any problems. On average, hazardous ma- terials are in 5% or less of the cars we handle each year. Who owns the property under your tracks? In most cases the property is owned by the railroad. As a simple rule of thumb, railroad property generally extends 50 feet each direction from the center line of the tracks where there is a single track iri place. Railroads pay Minnesota taxes on their property (centrally assessed by the state) and pay the cost for upkeep of the tracks. As a result, railroads use their private property for the benefit of the business and its customers. Should 1 be concerned about the safety of children playing on the tracks? Definitely, yes. Children should not play on the tracks or walk across railroad bridges. It can be a very danger- ous situation to use the tracks as a trail or a place to hike, fish or for other recreational purposes. A train or other vehicle using the tracks can come along at any time. And, since it's private property, to do so is trespassing. The best advice is - "Stay Off Railroad Tracks." /s there more activity by a rail yard? Certainly. We have several yard locations in the Twin Cities where freight cars and locomotives are rearranged, stored, loaded/unloaded or repaired. Trains originate or terminate from these locations and repair shops are located there. Seven day, around-the-clock work at these locations can be expected. Do you store freight cars along the tracks? Most freight cars are brought into centrally located yards and split up for delivery to customers. From time to time, a train may leave cars on a sidetrack for another train to pick up later. If business declines and freight cars are not needed, they will be stored on sidetracks near areas where they may be needed in the future. How frequently do you maintain the tracks? Railroad tracks are maintained to a standard set by the Federal Railroad Administration, which also deter- mines the maximum speed allowed. The agency also inspects CPR's trackage. Frequent inspections are made by the railroad and any defects repaired. From time to time, special rail inspection vehicles will travel over the track to locate any defects. Routine maintenance is handled by a local "section crew," which is responsible for a stretch of track. If major upgrading is done, such as laying rail or installing many ties, a special crew will come in and handle the work in production line fashion. The railroad also has other maintenance people who work on bridges, buildings, wayside signals and the warning devices at crossings. Do you cut brush or spray weeds along the tracks? We do both. Weed sprays approved by the Environ- mental Protection Agency are used on the track surface (8' each direction from the center of the tracks). The spraying is preventative maintenance to keep weeds from growing in the rock ballast. Plants and shrubs along the sides of the tracks are generally left to grow naturally. However, if brush (trees, shrubs) along the tracks be- come a safety hazard to trains or motorists at crossings by restricting visibility, they will be cut down. Special equipment usually traveling on the tracks will cut brush, which will be removed or chipped by a follow-up crew. You can expect from time to time that crews will take down excess growth, and where necessary to the edges of the property. Do you also move passengers? Amtrak uses Canadian Pacific Railway lines to move passenger trains between their station located in the Midway area and Chicago. There are several existing freight routes into the Twin Cities that are under consider- ation by the state of Minnesota for commuter purposes. If established, passenger trains would connect the downtown core areas of St. Paul and Minneapolis with outlying communities. The process to establish com- muter service is ongoing. Do you anticipate any changes to your lines? We always anticipate that traffic will grow on any of our lines and there will be additional trains. Traffic patterns can also change periodically, meaning trains may use different routes to get to and from customers. The changes could be permanent or temporary. If we decide to abandon a line, we must have Surface Trans- portation Board approval to do so and our plans will be made public in advance. What if the rail line in the area we are looking at isn't owned by CPR? There are other railroads operating in the Twin Cities that you can call for information. Consult the phone book for listings for Burlington Northern and Santa Fe, Union Pacific, Wisconsin Central, Twin Cities & Western, or Minnesota Commercial railroads. The information in this brochure is published by Canadian Pacific Railway, Communications & Public Affairs Department, P. O. Box 530, Minneapolis, MN 55440. Phone: (612) 347-8209 or 8271 Fax: (612) 347-8350. Date of Publication: November, 2000 December 22, 2000 �,.- I C, -,I I) CITY OF PLYMOUTH+ SUBJECT: VARIANCE FOR PARKERS LAKE BAPTIST CHURCH (20186) Dear Property Owner: This letter is written to inform you that Parkers Lake Baptist Church, under File No. 20186, submitted a planning application requesting approval for a variance to construct a larger sign than permitted by the City Code for property located at 14720 County Road 6. Hennepin County records indicate your property is within 200 feet of the site of this proposal. You are hereby notified of and cordially invited to attend a meeting to be held by the Plymouth Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 3, 2001, in the Council Chambers at the Plymouth City Center, 3400 Plymouth Boulevard. While a formal Public Hearing is not required, it is the City's policy to inform adjacent property owners/occupants of such applications. INFORMATION relating to this request may be examined at the Community Development Information Counter, at Plymouth City Center on Mondays and Wednesday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except holidays. If you have any questions about the specifics of this proposal, please contact the Community Development Department at 509-5400. Sincerely, %AAS /D(jjr Barbara G. Senness, AICP Planning Manager 20186propnotice PLYMOUTH A Beautiful Place ?o Live 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PlYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 • TELEPHONE (612) 509-5000 0:,,.,°..,_.„, o,-,vvv.ci.plymouth.mn.us December 22, 2000 ary of PLYMOUTFF SUBJECT: REZONING, CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, VARIANCE, PRELIMINARY PLAT AND SITE PLAN FOR GM HOMES (20103) Dear Property Owner: Pursuant to the provisions of the Plymouth Zoning Ordinance, this letter is to inform you of a request by GM Homes, under File No. 20103, for a rezoning from FRD (Future Restricted Development) to RMF -2 (Multiple Family 2), conditional use permit, variance, preliminary plat and site plan for 11 townhomes on 4.40 acres located at 16225 Old Rockford Road. Hennepin County records indicate your property is within 750 feet of the site of this proposal. You are hereby notified of, and cordially invited to attend a Public Hearing to be held by the Plymouth Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m., on Wednesday, January 3, 2001, in the Council Chambers at the Plymouth City Center, 3400 Plymouth Boulevard. The public will be invited to offer questions and comments concerning this application at that time, or feel free to call the City Planning Department at 509-5450 for more information. INFORMATION relating to this request may be examined at the Community Development Information Counter (lower level), on Mondays and Wednesday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except holidays. Sincerely, Barbara G. Senness, AICP Planning Manager 20103propnotice PLYMOUTH A Beautif u[Tlace To Live 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 • TELEPHONE (612) 509-5000 www.ci.plymouth.mn.us CITY OF PLYMOUTFF December 22, 2000 SUBJECT: VARIANCE FOR DARIN AND KAMI AHO (20180) Dear Property Owner: This letter is written to inform you that Darin and Kami Aho, under File No. 20180, submitted a planning application requesting approval for a variance for a 4 -foot high fence in a front yard for property located at 4605 Cottonwood Lane North. Hennepin County records indicate your property is within 200 feet of the site of this proposal. You are hereby notified of and cordially invited to attend a meeting to be held by the Plymouth Planning Commission at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 3, 2001;'in the Council Chambers at the Plymouth City Center, 3400 Plymouth Boulevard. While a formal Public Hearing is not required, it is the City's policy to inform adjacent property owners/occupants of such applications. INFORMATION relating to this request may be examined at the Community Development Information Counter, at Plymouth City Center on Mondays and Wednesday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except holidays. If you have any questions about the specifics of this proposal, please contact the Community Development Department at 509-5400. Sincerely, INU [oaL 6Cn ry,i72 Barbara G. Senness, AICP Planning Manager 20180propnotice PLYMOUTH A Beautif uf!Pface To Live 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 • TELEPHONE (612) 509-5000 01-11-.— www.ci.plymouth.mn.us Finance Calc Horoscope Market Place Net Directory Nutrition Calc Weather Contact Us How to Advertise Jobs At Sun Sun Slots PSM Special Sections NET DIRECTory Gift Guide 2000 Excel Christmas Education Excell Search The Web People Search Business Search Yellow Pages Powered by: NA -14001. 1 Seer Page 1 Kids elect Gore for president By Katherine A. Reilly Sun Newspapers (Created 11/15/00 8:38:14 AM) Voter turnout at 33 polling places served by Hopkins School District 270 was approximately 4,700 students, said Dee McCarthy, Hopkins High School social studies teacher and Kids Voting lead person. The students voted on ballots that mimicked adult ballots in a program called Kids VotingUSA. Kids VotingUSA is a national non-partisan, non-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting the development of well-informed lifelong voters. Local Forecast Thursday, Dec. 21, 2000 1 u o�u dick Here 4:02:18PM The program works with schools to prepare students for elections and teaches the value of their right to vote. Students were able to vote at Kids Voting polling places at or near the adult polling places at precincts in the seven communities served by the School District. Their ballots included the major races and ballot initiatives at the national, state and local level. Approximately 865 volunteers from business, civic and school communities helped out at polling places around the district and in counting ballots at the end of a long evening Nov 7. Ben Manlove, a Hopkins resident and High School senior, said the program helps get people in the habit of voting. "It takes the mystique out of it," he said, while tallying votes at Kids Voting Central. "When kids hit 18, they will go out to vote." Geoff Bergh, a junior and Minnetonka resident, acted as an election judge at a Kids Voting polling place. "I helped little kids fill out the ballot by filling out the identification information and them showed them how to vote," he said. "I thought it was pretty fun and some of them did learn something." Geoff said the Kids Voting results looked a lot like Minnesota's results. He noted that it appeared that the older students were the more likely they were to vote for Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader. "I think a lot of them followed their parents," said Amanda Frederickson, a senior. She suggested that fifth- or sixth -graders were more likely to make an independent decision. Amanda of Minnetonka said she became involved in the Kids Voting program because of her involvement in her political science class. Ben and Matt Freeman of Minnetonka helped out in the morning at the Ridgedale Area Library Kids Voting precinct. Ben, a seventh -grader at Hopkins North Junior High School, said he became involved in the planning stages last spring. He said he learned how people vote because of Kids Voting. Matt, a Tanglen Elementary fifth -grader, said Kids Voting is a good program because, "it makes you think more about voting when you get older." Election Results Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Al Gore received 54.4 percent of votes, while his opponent, Republican Texas Gov. George W. Bush received 39.2 percent. Other votes cast included 5.3 percent for Green Party candidate Nader. Candidates from all parties received votes in the presidential election, but remaining candidates Harry Brown, Pat Buchanan, John Hagelin, James Harris and Howard Phillips each received less than one-half of 1 percent of the vote. DOCUMM. - _ coo"r `'.'" ' �laeic'` Oltpli�� �ririllitiq At The Lowest Pr7cesl inctu ".com Part ot t e I winu ibes. corn Network �- a In the race for U.S. Senator, Mark Dayton, DFL, received 47.8 percent of the vote and incumbent Sen. Rod Grams, R, received 35.9. Independence party candidate James "Jim" Gibson took 11.2 percent of the Kids Voting vote. Constitution Party candidate David Swan took just over 2 percent, Grassroots Party candidate David Daniels 1.5 percent and candidates Rebecca Ellis and Erik D. Pakieser each received less than 1 percent of the vote. For U.S. representative in the 3rd Congressional District, Kids Voting voters chose incumbent Rep. Jim Ramstad, R, over challenger Sue Shuff, DFL, 64 percent to 29 percent. Constitution Party candidate Arne Niska received 4.5 percent of the vote and Libertarian candidate Bob Odden took 2 percent. For U.S. representative in the 5th District, Kids Voting voters chose Martin Olav Sabo, DFL, with 66.75 percent of the vote. Challenger Frank Taylor, R, lagged behind with just under 16 percent of the vote. Three other candidates, Libertarian Chuck P. Charnstrom, Independence Party nominee Rob Tomich and Constitution Party candidate Renee Lavoi, received 9 percent, 4.8 percent and 3.3 percent respectively. Unfortunately, due to scanner problems, Kids Voting officials were unable to release results for local and state level races at the time of publication. This site and its contents 02000. Sun Newspapers - Main Office: (612) 829-0797 - Created and maintained by Quantum Digital Interactive Email: jcorbo@quantumsite.com Page 2 two V oteriao V alen Declares Kids V oti I A SucceSs, President Gore 2545 votes Bush 1836 votes Nader 248 votes Other 50 votes U.S.Senate Dayton 2150 votes Grams 1617 votes Oth 4679 Students voted on Election E see the district's web page at. www.hoF special Ite Minnesota Legislative Race Results Senate - District #42 Martha McKnight 63 44% Roy Terwilliger Total 144 House - District #42A Deb James 60 53% Ron Erhardt 53 47% Total 113 Senate - District #43 Dale Neef (DFL) 426 51% Ed Oliver (GOP) 410 49% Total 836 House District #43A Marcia Eland (DFL) Tom Workman (GOP) 23 55% Total 42 Senate - District #44 Steve Kelly (DFL) 614 59% Tim Manthey (GOP) 423 41% Total 1037 Senate - District #45 Karen A. Jenkins (DFL) 736 50% Martha Robertson (GOP) 736 50% Total 1472 House - District #45A Rob Abrams 574 I zoo Minnesota Hopkins School Community House - District #42B David W. Johnson (DFL) 14 32% Erik Paulsen (GOA_ 30 68% Total 44 House - District #43B Barb S -kora House - District #44A Betty Folliard (DFL) 413 51.5% Sue McCarville (GOP) 389 48.5% Total 802 House - District #45B Daniel Roy Bloomquist (CON) 45 8% Lance K. Ness (DFL) 211 37% Peggy Leppik 316 55% Total 572 F Minutes of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission Meeting December 14, 2000 Page 44 Present: Chair Anderson, Commissioners Fiemann, Meyer, Musliner, Singer; Councilmember Slavik; staff Bisek, Blank and Pederson Absent: Commissioner Thompson and Wahl 1. CALL TO ORDER Chair Anderson called the December meeting to order at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A motion was made by Commissioner Singer and seconded by Commissioner Meyer to approve the minutes of the October meeting as presented. The motion carried with all ayes. 3. VISITOR PRESENTATIONS a. Athletic Associations. None were present. b. Staff. Mary stated that Rec—Connect is up and running. Usage was 7% with Rec—Connect and 56% with Touch Tone on the first day of registration. We expect Rec—Connect to increase as people become more comfortable with it. Mary announced that Rick had back surgery and was out for five weeks recuperating. He's back at work now half time and doing well. Mary discussed a couple of special events coming up. The Plymouth Community Band is going to be in concert with the Plymouth Rockers at the Messiah United Methodist Church on Sunday. A New Year's Eve Around the World event will be held on December 31 at LifeTime Fitness and the Ice Arena. We are having some concerns about finding volunteers to work that evening. Three different New Year's Eves will be celebrated on the hour from 6:30-9:30 that evening. There will be music, crafts, games, ice skating, swimming, prizes, etc. This activity is geared for families. Mary also mentioned the Fire and Ice Festival on February 3. Mary reminded PRAC that they usually help with the bonfire. We're hoping to add a theme to this year's event. The idea of Elvis and Blue Hawaii is being considered. We may have tied down an Elvis impersonator who is also a DeeJay. Call Nancy Anderson if you can volunteer. Mary mentioned that Old Fashioned Christmas went well. She estimated that there were about 750-800 attendees. Director Blank discussed the New Year's Eve party and the long term goals for this. Maybe in future years we will be able to include some activities at the fieldhouse and the Plymouth Creek Center. Director Blank is hoping that the Youth Council will get involved in helping plan this. Mary said we are trying to put more of a focus on the teen age group by planning more teen programs. The Plymouth Creek Center has been extremely busy. Figures in the annual report should be interesting. Seniors are especially thrilled with the facility and activities there. Councilmember Slavik mentioned the Plymouth Leisure Times and how pleased the Civic League was with this latest issue. Commissioner Musliner wanted to know if any consideration had been given to the Seniors having their own brochure separate from the Leisure Times. Mary PRAC Minutes/December 2000 Page 45 mentioned the newsletter surrounding communities Leisure Times as well, Plymouth Grapevine. Plymouth Grapevine, which is sent to seniors in Plymouth and . Mary thinks it's important to keep the Senior section in the for anyone new to Plymouth who may not know about the c. Others. There were no others present. 4. PAST COUNCIL ACTION a. Dehumidification system at the Ice Center. We're getting a rebate from Reliant Energy of about $28,000, because of switching over from electric to gas. We expect to have the system installed in January. Right now the dehumidification is turned off because it's not needed, but it will be in use starting in May. b. Millennium Garden final plans and specs. We have reached our phase 1 goal. We get about one company a week donating in-kind services. Dundee Nursery has indicated an interest in designing, planting and maintaining a rose garden on a continuous basis. We've been mining two construction sites going on in downtown Plymouth looking for large boulders. We are picking up thousands of dollars of inkind services. We will plan groundbreaking in May. c. Trail snowplowing routes for 2000-01. This comes out of the maintenance division. It helps determine which of the 75 miles of trails will be plowed in the winter. An approved plan helps with community relations. d. Contract cleaning services at the Ice Center and Plymouth Creek Center. Mentally challenged adults do this cleaning two or three days a week. e. Ferndale North open space management plan. This item went through the Council on a consent agenda. f. Free walking in the dome. Free walking is a big hit. One downside is heating the dome. This costs about $40 an hour, so we made a decision to turn the heat on at 10:30, so it's up to 55 degrees by approximately 11 a.m. It's quite comfortable earlier in the morning, but you need to keep your jacket on. It's not easy to regulate the heat in this facility. We will be fine tuning this as time goes on. Commissioner Singer asked how many people are walking. Mary said we're not keeping numbers like we did last year. Mary said it is a good number of people, and quite a few do show up at 8 a.m. There's a regular group that shows up early. Mary thinks it's hundreds of people. We allow people to walk when other activities are going on if it's deemed safe. People are really appreciative of the fact that it's there and available. Commissioner Meyer asked what the temperature is at 8 a.m. Director Blank said around 32 or 35 degrees. Staff is keeping track of when it's being used. If morning is more popular, we may turn the heat on around 7:30 a.m. and then turn if off for a few hours and turn it on again in the late afternoon, so it's warm in time for the evening's activities. PRAC Minutes/December 2000 Page 46 g. Grant application for skate park. This is due January 16, and we are applying for a grant of $20,000. It would come from the Communities in Collaboration Council of School District 284. Commissioner Fiemann asked if the odds for receiving a grant were good. Director Blank said he's not very optimistic, however the Mayor is a member of the Council. Mary said there are others on the Communities in Collaboration Council who are excited about a possible skate park, so this may help us. h. Grant for improvements at Greenwood. We have been notified that we are one of the recipients of a $100,000 grant from the State of Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission for improvements at Greenwood's athletic fields. i. License agreements for Oakwood, Greenwood and East Middle School playfields. These are 10 year agreements with 10 year extensions. The agreements permit the school district to use the facilities on school days for school use, and the City has exclusive use on non -school days and after school. The City is completely responsible for the maintenance, operation, and scheduling of the facilities. North American Properties park dedication fee. This item went back to Council after PRAC recommended that the normal fee be charged. It was not contested by North American Properties. 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS a. Plymouth Creek Center update. Next Tuesday the Council will approve final payment to Shingobee Builders. We are under budget as of now by about $7,500. There will be a copy of the draft annual report ready by the January meeting, so numbers will be available in that document. Mary ran into someone from Shingobee, and they are going to be receiving an award for their work on the Plymouth Creek Center. b. Millennium Garden update. Brauer and Associates is moving forward with a final design. Companies that are offering in-kind services need some plans and specs in order to plan their work. Director Blank discussed the Christmas Box Angel proposal. He stated that staff attended some meetings where this proposal was being discussed. Not every sentiment from those other discussions is in their attached minutes. When first discussing this at the October PRAC meeting, we did not realize that the donation was coming from a Plymouth resident. The author of the book is planning a trip to Italy next year, and the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Center would like him to attend the ceremony when the statue is installed sometime next May. The Maple Grove City Council has approved having the statue in their arboretum if Plymouth doesn't accept it. The architect has sketched a couple of possible locations for its placement in the Millennium Garden. Mary and Karol came up with a vision statement for the garden which is "creating natural connections." Mary and Karol see this happening by promoting social cohesiveness and community identity; providing an atmosphere for inspiration, self reflection and renewal; facilitating a spirit of creativity through the arts; and presenting opportunities for environmental education and stewardship. Mary posted a question on the National Recreation and Parks Association website to help staff come up with this vision statement. Mary said that this is just a draft. It's a work in progress. Two areas in the garden have been looked at for the PRAC Minutes/December 2000 Page 47 " placement of the statue. It would not be in the more formal garden area. It would be off to the side of the looping trail. Another possible site is the labyrinth area, which is meant to be a meditative site. Commissioner Singer wanted to know about the December 6 celebration. Director Blank said we would have to challenge the architects to come up with a design that would accommodate 100 or more people who might attend such a ceremony. Director Blank asked if this is something we would like to have in the garden? He stated that he attended a funeral last week of a good friend of his daughter's. Afterwards, several of her friends talked about buying a brick for the Millennium Garden to honor her. He also had a conversation this past week with a woman whose grandfather was once the Mayor of Plymouth. She wants to buy a bench to honor him. Director Blank says we see a lot of this — people wanting to honor loved ones who have died. Director Blank thinks the statue could be viewed in a positive light. But when you introduce religion, it's more difficult to weigh. The Human Rights Commission seemed to have a problem with it. They had a black and white picture of the angel, and some found the idea of a white angel to be offensive. Director Blank said the statue is actually bronze. Are there religious aspects to this? Some people will be offended by the word Christmas in the title, but we cannot take that out. That's a condition of the author of the story it's based on. Commissioner Meyer thinks a better place for it is the City cemetary. She thinks people may be depressed by it being in the garden. Commissoner Fiemann is concerned also with the title Christmas Box Angel. He has mixed feelings about it, but sees it as enlightening, also. Commissioner Musliner recently met the author at the Book Case in Wayzata. She said that people who have read the book seek out the statue, and this is why it was created. She also thinks it doesn't belong in the Millennium Garden and would be better in the City cemetary. Chair Anderson is divided on this issue. Commissioner Singer is sensitive about it as well. She sees it as a Christian issue. The concept of the Millennium Garden is self renewal, reflection, hope, etc. She doesn't really want it in the garden. She doesn't have a problem with the angel itself. It's the title that's the issue. Director Blank said a group of citizens will be meeting under the supervision of Karol to come up with criteria for the art that will be included in the garden and other public spaces. Commissioner Singer understands the donation of benches and bricks with people's names on them. Commissioner Meyer said a lot of the art in the Landscape Arboretum comes through donations. She said she'll check to see if there is a policy that the arboretum follows regarding donations of art. Director Blank will call the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Center and tell them that both the Human Rights Commission and the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission feel that this is not an appropriate item for the garden. Commissioner Fiemann asked if there is a place in the City cemetary that would be appropriate. Director Blank said the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Center wasn't interested in that location. Councilmember Slavik suggested that the staff report PRAC received should also be sent to the Council. Chair Anderson said if we do allow this, we open the door for any group that wants to place something in the garden. COMMISSIONER SINGER MOVED THAT WE THANK THE DONOR FOR THE DONATION OF THE CHRISTMAS BOX ANGEL BUT THAT WE BELIEVE IT DOES NOT FIT INTO THE OVERALL VISION STATEMENT AND PERCEIVED GOALS OF THE MILLENNIUM GARDEN IN THE CITY OF PLYMOUTH. COMMISSIONER FIEMANN SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED. There was discussion then on the need for coming up with some sort of policy for accepting PRAC Minutes/December 2000 Page 48 �-- 7/0 donations of art for the garden. COMMISSIONER FIEMANN MOVED THAT STAFF PURSUE CREATING A POLICY ON WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED ACCEPTABLE ART FOR THE MILLENNIUM GARDEN AND OTHER PUBLIC SPACES THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND COME BACK TO PRAC WITH THEIR FINDINGS AND RECOMENDATIONS. CHAIR ANDERSON SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED WITH ALL AYES. Director Blank asked if PRAC had any fine tunings for the mission statement. It was suggested that they look it over and come back to the January meeting with any suggestions, and maybe it could be adopted at that time. Commissioner Singer said she spoke with someone from Eden Prairie whose two children play soccer in our fieldhouse. This individual told Commissioner Singer that our non—resident fee is less than the resident fee in Eden Prairie. She had high praise for the fieldhouse. c. Comprehensive Plan Director Blank said that $750,000 has been carried forward for open space. This will be for the Northwest Greenway. He will be asking the City Council to give us permission to apply for some grants from the DNR on this project. d. Hilde Performance Center update. We are doing a phase one study right now with the architects to meet the requirements of the EAW. Contracts have been signed by the Hilde's and the Civic League. By the next PRAC meeting we may have a draft concept plan for the building. The name of the facility is part of the contract, because of the Hilde offer of the million dollars. Commissioner Singer asked about the document included in their PRAC packet regarding naming public parks. That's why she questioned the name Hilde Performance Center. Director Blank said if someone wanted to donate a million dollars toward the purchase of a park, we probably would have no problem naming it after them. e. 2001-2005 CIP. Playground replacements — Director Blank found some additional funding for Swan Lake park. If long term projections of revenue hold true we may be able to add more playground replacements. For the youth sports improvements at Greenwood, we received a cost estimate this morning and it looks like we're getting close. Another $10,000 will make a big difference, so the budget has been increased to $460,000. This will get us three baseball fields and four soccer fields. The large picnic shelter at Zachary has been moved up to 2001. All other items stayed the same as in the October draft. We now have a number of $200,000 for the West Medicine Lake bathroom facility that matches the stone face and rough sawn lumber look of the picnic shelters. We're looking at rules and regulations on wetland setbacks, etc. This will be a bare bones facility, including bathrooms only. We will be hooked up to the City sewer system. Commissioner Meyer asked if these are new fields at Greenwood. Director Blank said the baseball fields are new. The school district bought the farmhouse along Medina Road, and this is where the baseball fields will be. All facilities are behind the building on the west side. Commissioner Singer talked to the MASC, and they are lobbying for additional monies statewide for more soccer fields. She said they are looking for $6-8 million during the next session. According to state statute this has to be for new fields only. Director Blank said some of the projects in the 2001 CIP are very time sensitive, so PRAC Minutes/December 2000 Page 49 action by PRAC is needed tonight. Commissioner Singer asked about the skate park. If the grant is not awarded would we still go forward with it? Director Blank said yes, if the City Council approves it. She then asked about East Medicine Lake Park and the deteriorating condition of the building and boardwalk. Director Blank said we know we have a problem there, but we don't know what we want to do at this time. We are looking at removing the wooden boardwalk and replacing with an asphalt trail and we may replace that building with two bathrooms. COMMISSIONER SINGER MOVED to ACCEPT THE 2001-2005 CIP. COMMISSIONER FIEMANN SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED. 6. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business. 7. COMMISSION PRESENTATION There was no Commission presentation. 8. STAFF COMMUNICATION Staff thanked the Commission for their hard work and wished them Happy Holidays. Chair Anderson has completed 15 years on the Commission. He's the number two man behind the chairman of the Planning Commission. Barb Edwards served 22 years on PRAC. Commissioner Singer thanked the City staff for their dedication to their work and for the card sent to her husband. He had a triple bypass last week. Councilmember Slavik said the Council had many positive comments about PRAC when they discussed reappointments to Commissions last week. Director Blank stated that Mark Wahl has resigned but will attend the January meeting. 9. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. DATE: December 15, 2000 TO: Dwight D. Johnson, City Manager Fred G. Moore, Director of Public Works FROM: George C. Bentley, Acting Transit Administrator A2! ,�� SUBJECT: Suburban Transit Association Legislative Agenda The Legislative Committee of the Suburban Transit Association (STA) met on Tuesday, December 12 and adopted a legislative agenda for the 2001 legislative session. City Council Member Scott Harstad is also a member of this committee and was present on Tuesday. Attached is a copy of that agenda. The following is a brief analysis of the agenda points: • A. Bonding for Transit. The region (including the opt -outs) needs a stable transit capital source. The request the Metropolitan Council would like to put forward (if the Governor permits it) is recurring regional bonding authority of $40 million per year. This is the amount necessary to double transit service in 20 years as planned by the Met Council, including providing funds for buses and facilities for the opt -outs. If the Governor gives his blessing this proposal will face difficulty in the Legislature because it would have a property tax impact and would remove the Legislature's ability to "regulate" transit capital funding each year. • B. Funding for Transit Service Outside the Transit Taxing District. This item is becoming a major issue for the opt -out providers. Buses are rapidly filling up and a significant percentage of riders are coming from cities outside of the transit taxing district, with no corresponding revenue to supplement service. Several options are put forward in the STA 2001 Legislative Agenda to deal with this problem. While STA will push this item during the Legislative session, a near-term resolution is far from certain due to property tax impacts or legislative spending requirements. F:\pw\Engineering\TRANSIT\MEMOS\2000Uohmon_Moore_STA Leg Agenda I2_15.doc ,�- 3 6 Dwight D. Johnson Fred G. Moore STA Legislative Agenda Page 2 • C. Taking Transit off the Property Tax. This is a "watch" item on the agenda. The STA does not categorically oppose removing transit from the property tax, the continued existence of opt -out transit is dependent on either maintaining the transit property tax or changing the opt -out law to allow funding from another source. The idea of "buying down" the property tax seems to have the greatest appeal since it would allow the Legislature future flexibility if state revenues diminish and would not require changing the opt -out law. D. Metro Transit Budget Deficit. This is also a "watch" item. Due to a change in how state departments are now required to prepare their budgets, and due to increasing costs for drivers and fuel, Metro Transit may be facing a $15 million per year budget shortfall. In the spirit of regional cooperation STA would support Metro Transit efforts to eliminate any budget shortfall. • E. Support Transit Advantages on Highways. This is an ongoing item in the Agenda. You will note there is no reference to support of ramp meters — only support for ramp meter bypasses. F. Sales Tax Exemption for Transit Buses and Equipment. Some transit properties have this exemption now, and we believe all transit systems should have the exemption. An example of the impact of this exemption on Plymouth Metrolink is the sales tax (MVET) currently being paid for the new transit buses which will come to about $160,750. • G. Support Dedicated Funds for License Tab Fee Shortfall. When the Governor caused a reduction in license tabs earlier this year he created a $150 million hole in the Highway Trust Fund, since tab fees are Constitutionally dedicated to highways. STA is supporting this item because the joint support of highway and transit interests is necessary to gain any transit or transportation funding at the Legislature. • Light Rail and Commuter Rail Transit Initiatives. The STA maintains this item on its Legislative Agenda primarily as a courtesy to the Metropolitan Council. It is not expected that STA lobbyists will be active in these matters. • Follow -Up on Metro Mobility Report to the Legislature. This is also a "watch" item. This report may cause changes in how Metro Mobility service is provided in the suburban areas. This is provided to you FYI. If you have any questions please let me know. attachment F:\pw\Engineering\TRANSIT\MEMOS\2000Uohnson_Moore_STA Leg Agenda 12_15.doc I 2001 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA A. BONDING FOR TRANSIT The Metropolitan Council will be seeking capital bonding authorization for regional transit capital projects for FY2002-03 for mandated and service preservation needs. The Legislature authorized $36 million in bonds in 1999 and $19.4 million in 2000 for a total biennial authorization of $50.4 million. The Metropolitan Council may be seeking authorization of $40 million per year in 1 ongoing bonding authority. However, formal approval from the Governor and Met Council has not yet occurred. B. FUNDING FOR TRANSIT SERVICE OUTSIDE THE TRANSIT TAXING DISTRICT The Legislature has yet to address the issue of how transit service outside the taxing district will be funded. However, because of an increasing demand for express service from areas outside the taxing district, and because the resources of the STA system are being strained, a feasible solution must be found. 1 There are a number of potential funding solutions that may be considered in solving this dilemma. Some of the options include: Expansion of the transit taxing district • Potentially this could encompass the seven county metropolitan area, however, due to the property tax implications and the reluctance to rely solely on this source, it may not be a realistic solution under the current political climate. • MVET transfer Transferring 50% of MVET could provide enough financial assistance to pay for all transit services in the seven county metropolitan area. This transfer could buy down the property tax, replace the state appropriation, and secure a competitive multi -modal fund. • General fund appropriation A general fund appropriation could be used to pay for all transit service in the seven county metropolitan area. The current cost of operating transit service is approximately $169 million. However, this figure does ' not include expanded service or service outside the transit taxing district. • Support pilot project The Metropolitan Council may be initiating a pilot project with federal funds to provide additional express bus service outside the transit 5 1 7 taxing district. The cost of this project would vary depending on the degree of service requested. C. TAKING TRANSIT OFF THE PROPERTY TAX Another effort to remove the transit levy from the property tax may be initiated during the 2001 legislative session. As a defining principle, it must be noted that the property tax reference is crucial to the existence of the opt -out system, and any change in the property tax funding structure must include changes to the opt - out legislation linking the two. However, if changes are going to be made to this funding method, the emphasis on stability must be preserved. Some of the options may include: • Buying down the property tax The property tax could be bought down using a funding source such as the mortgage and deed tax or surplus dollars. The amount of tax reduction would be based on the level of investment and could vary from year to year. This option would maintain the stability of the transit funding source, however could provide the desired property tax relief. • MVET dedication Dedicating a portion of MVET is another potential solution to provide the amount of funding necessary to replace the property tax. (The Met Council spends approximately $169 million for both transit capital and operations.) Exactly what percent of MVET transfer would depend on the rate and whether a statewide or metro area pool is used. However, it is unlikely that leadership would offer a ballot initiative of a transfer of less than 50%. • Cash for bonding Another option, at least in part, may be to pay cash for some of the capital bonding expenditures that are non -real estate or long term capital expenditures. This initiative could be funded by the MVET transfer initiative or a general fund or surplus allocation and could provide significant long-term interest savings to the state.- D. METRO TRANSIT BUDGET DEFICIT Because the Governor's budget has yet to be formulated, the potential Metro Transit budget shortfall is unknown. It is possible that the Governor's budget would include the necessary funding due to increased contract costs (based on increased costs in the areas of salaries, medical benefits and fuel). The Governor's budget should be finalized following the November revenue forecast. 'J E. SUPPORT TRANSIT ADVANTAGES ON HIGHWAYS Suburban transit service relies on transit advantages in order to provide timesaving, convenient travel options. Convenient transit options encourage ridership, and therefore decrease overall congestion by reducing single occupant vehicles on highways. The three advantages that provide the most effective utilization are bus -only shoulder lanes, HOV lanes and ramp meter bypass. • BUS ONLY SHOULDER LANES The STA supports the expanded use of bus -only shoulder lanes as a cost- effective means to make transit a timesaving alternative to driving. • HOV LANES The STA strongly supports the ongoing use of the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on 1-35W and 1-394. HOV lanes provide effective mass transit advantages, especially efficient travel times on some of the most congested highways in the region. This efficient travel time draws an increasing number of riders to mass transit services, which further reduces congestion. • RAMP METER BYPASS The ramp meter bypass system allows transit vehicles the opportunity to bypass stagnant traffic, and provides efficient ingress to the highway. ' F. SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR TRANSIT BUSES AND REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR TRANSIT BUSES Currently, Metro Transit, Duluth Transit and St. Cloud Transit are exempt from payment of sales taxes on the purchase of transit buses. This legislation would bring uniformity to transit providers and would provide a sales tax exemption for transit vehicles and replacement parts that are used exclusively for transit service. The STA strongly supports the current exemption, but feels that it should be broadened to include buses and replacement parts for all public transit providers. i G. SUPPORT DEDICATED FUNDS FOR LICENSE TAB FEE SHORTFALL As a result of the tab fee reduction implemented by the 2000 Legislature, there will be $170 million funding gap for roads and bridges. The gap has been created because there was no dedication of funds to replace the trunk highway funds lost as a result of lower tab fees. One of the proposals coming forward will be to constitutionally dedicate at least 32% (or approximately $176 million) of i r r rH. motor vehicle excise tax (MVET) proceeds to the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund to replace the loss of dedicated funds. LIGHT RAIL AND COMMUTER RAIL TRANSIT INITIATIVES The STA supports implementation of the Hiawatha Avenue light rail transit corridor and implementation of commuter rail lines as part of a comprehensive metropolitan transit system. The STA supports these rail initiatives as part of an overall, integrated metropolitan transit system that provides convenient and seamless transit service to suburban residents. The STA will continue its support for these rail initiatives with the understanding that there will be a funding priority at both the state and federal levels for bus service. FOLLOW-UP ON METRO MOBILITY REPORT DUE TO LEGISLATURE IN JANUARY 2001 This legislatively mandated report will be presented to the Legislature in January, 2001. This report may recommend significant changes to the Metro Mobility program. The STA will monitor the findings and their implications for suburban transit services. CITY OF PLYMOUTH CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT DATE: December 18, 2000 for the City Council Meeting of December 19, 2000 TO: Dwight D. Johnson, City Manager through Fred G. Moore, P.E., Director of Public Works FROM: Marjorie E. Vigoren, Solid Waste Coordinator SUBJECT: PROMOTION OF NEW MATERIALS ACCEPTED IN RECYCLING PROGRAM ACTION REQUESTED: Receive information and sample of postcard promoting recycling of new materials in Plymouth's recycling program. BACKGROUND: Plymouth's recycling program has expanded to accept more boxboard. Beginning immediately, Plymouth residents can include a wider assortment of boxboard, including: beverage carriers, toy, gift, and tissue boxes, along with cereal, chip and other food boxes in their recycling. Plymouth joined with the cities of Golden Valley and Minnetonka to develop and print postcards that promote recycling of the additional materials. The postcards will be mailed to all addresses in Plymouth. In an effort to help residents recognize boxboard, the postcard was printed on boxboard. This type of joint endeavor maximizes the effort of each city in reaching residents with full-color material at a greatly reduced cost, due to the higher quantity produced. A newspaper ad with the same information will appear in local newspapers in January, 2001. Waste Management, the cities' recycling hauler will pay for the ads. RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS: Receive a sample of the postcard that will be mailed to all Plymouth residents. i Marjorie E. Vigoren attachment : Postcard DocumenU tJ f N. Now you can recycle even more in your city's recycling program! )! Golden Valley, a« ,� mmnetonka r9c )IT OF PLYMOUTR JJ_ I saw rS�yi` PO TAGE PAI) xnpnNat��S= Tomer r - 00 NOT recycle pizza boxes or pac S pn YrxS•-s4'+f fit- • •• • • • •' • • ' Other questions? Cnl I the Plymouth r LL`ssec tions of the grocery store..recycling Program at 763-509-5506. °'Panted on recycled paper made of 1007 recoveredfiber with a minimum of 35� post consumer recycled content using soy -based ink. Z. �a ary of PLYMOUTH+ December 20, 2000 Karen Anderson, Mayor City of Minnetonka 14600 Minnetonka Blvd. Minnetonka, MN 55345-1502 Dear Karen: The Plymouth City Council joins me in congratulating you on your election as Vice President of the National League of Cities. We know your presence will continue to be an asset to the board. This is quite an honor, and we're very proud of you! Sincerely, C% Joy Tierney Mayor PLYMOUTH A Beautiful Pface 7o Live 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 • TELEPHONE (612) 509-5000 ®P---.*� www.d.plynouth.mmus Dec 18 Z888 1S:Z4:41 Via Fax -> AMM FAX HEWS December 18. 2000 61Z+S89+S868 Dwight Johnson Page 881 Of 881 ; ;�M M association of Metropolitan Municipalities Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC) 2000 Land Supply Study ATC has released its most recent land supply study, which updates the 1996 study The study's primary focus was to analyze the 97,000 acres, within the MUSA, that are considered vacant and agricul- tural and to determine the actual amount of land in the category that is available for urban development The study focused on 23 cites that account for approximately 50,000 acres or 52% of the 97,000 acres in the category The study conducted detailed analvsis of the 50:000 acres and n cocluded that only 21,490 or 42.9% of the acres are available for develop- ment Being aware BATC is recom- Sales Tax Survey Date The Sales Tax Survey included in last week's FAX NEWS did not have a deadline We would like a completed copy by Friday, January 5: 2001 Thank you .4.1f.11 News Fax is foxed to oll A A1.11 city managers and administrators, legislative contacts and Board members. Please share this fax with your mayors, councilmembers and sro// to keep them abreast of impor- tant metro city issues. 145 University Avenue Rest 5t. Paul, AIN 55103-2044 Phone. (651) 215-4000 Fax: (651) 231-1299 E-mail: amm:i^amm145.org mending that the Council • Take action to provide a 20 -year land supply • Consider establishing another land category called "underutilized" or potentially surplus" to contain the portions of lots that may be subdi- vided at a later date • Should prepare a Natural resources Master Plan for the Urban Reserve The recornmendations also suggest that the Council participate in and support the development of a statewide land use policy that includes satellite growth centers and limited access transportation corridors The study and land supply will be the subject of a series of discussions lead by the Council The AMM (Terry Schneider and staff) will be involved in the discus- sions The purpose of the discussions is to recommend a land supply policy PERA Board Approves Legislative Funding Strategies The PERA board at its Dec 14, 2000 approved a combined strategy regarding PERA's funding. The strategy includes the following • Extend amortization of the unfunded liability from 2020 to 2031, effective July 1, 2001, resetting the amortiza- tion period to 30 years • Prorate service credit. • Change vesting from three to five years. • Change 5 percent augmentation to 3 percent on deferred benefits after age 55, and offer the option of an enhanced refund to include part of the employers' contributions to terminated, vested members • Increase contribution rates in steps Phase 1 would begin on Jan 1, 2002 The second phase would begin in Jan 1, 2004 but could begin sooner Increase employer contributions in two steps, increasing rates from 5 18% to 5 555% the first year and adding a supplemental employer contribution of 0 75% of pay, funded with state aid, and moving the employer rate to 5 805% the second year of the phase-in with the first year's supplemental contribution of 0 75% of pay from aid continuing Change membership eligibility rules that would require all new hires to be reported for membership in PERA unless they are temporary or sea- sonal positions The PERA staff estimates that approximately $27 0 million in state aid will be needed to fund the proposal The details of the proposal particularly the prorated service cut are being developed and should be available in January 2001