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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Information Memorandum 08-13-1999AUGUST 13, 1999 1. COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULE: NOTE: Ward 1 Councilmember Tim Bildsoe meets with residents and receives their comments in the Administration Library, beginning at 6:00 PM before each Regular Council meeting. TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 5:3 0 PM TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 7.00 PM TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 7. 00 PM TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 7. 00 PM COUNCIL TOUR OF THE ZACHARY WATER TREATMENT PLANT, Zachary Lane and County Road 9. (Boz lunches will be provided) REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: BUDGET STUDYSESSION, Public Safety Training Room SPECIAL JOINT COUNCILIPLANNING COMMISSION MEETING ON COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE, Council Chambers WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 7.00 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: BUDGET STUDYSESSION, Public Safety Training Room TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 7.00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers Z SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, PLYMOUTHHISTORYFEST, 10: 00 AM -4: 00 PM Parkers Lake Park 3. 4. S. 6. 7. CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO AUGUST 13, 1999 MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 7. 00 PM THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 7.00 PM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 7.00 PM WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 7. 00 PM Page 2 YO UTH A D VISOR Y COUNCIL, Medicine Lake Room PUBLIC SA FETY A D VISOR Y BOARD, Public Safety Training Room PACT, Hadley Lake Room PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers August, September, and October calendars are attached. (M-7) 1. NEWS ARTICLES, RELEASES, PUBLICATIONS, ETC. a) Letter from Saundra Spigner with information regarding Metropolitan Council agendas and committee packets (I -1a) b) Cover memo from the Municipal Legislative Commission regarding the Jefferson Citizen Jury recommendation on property tax reform. The entire report comes separately due to its size. (I -1b) c) Letter from NSP to residents affected by July power outages. (I -1c) Z CORRESPONDENCE a) Letters to City officials regarding affordable housing in Plymouth. 1) Barbara Brooks (1--2a.1) 2) Lynn Abe (I -2a.2) 3) Linda Seaton (I -2a.3) b) Letters to Councilmembers requesting development of a Ferndale play area. 1) Susan Siegel (I -2b.1) 2) Patti Keeney. (I -2b.2) 3) Art Keeney. (1--2b.3) c) Internet communication from Jim Peet with comments regarding development of historical markers at sites around the City. (1--2c) 3. CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS POLICY—CORRESPONDENCE a) Letter to Allen Tank from Public Works Director Fred Moore responding to concerns about the July power outages. A copy of Mr. Tank's original letter is attached. (1--3a) CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO AUGUST 13, 1999 Page 3 b) Letter to Lance Kiland from Public Works Director Fred Moore responding to comments about traffic noise from I-494. A copy of Mr. Kiland's original letter is attached. (I --3b) q). Letter to Ann Svensson from Public Works Director Fred Moore responding to comments about the stop sign at 60' Avenue and Yucca Lane. A copy of Ms. Svensson's original letter is attached. (1--3c) A status report on the most recent correspondence is attached. (1-3) 4. LEGISLATIVE ITEMS a) Association of Metropolitan Municipalities AMM FAX NEWS. (I -4a) C0 CD z W W J U. 0 \. 15 �a tea 201 N a0a r�iY(q oaw N h .1 rr ., N ao N ILM�^N E N N M NN >� .0 u LL O N N fA hN�N �D ti N N N M >� �Yi Z� O V = C gN.� �•r (how 0. N M N M Iz Z- :00.2 ELo _ =t�)OUJ LcoM aOa' o� 00 NN O ai aECE a� Ws =7 3 N Y 1O Ooh O OLL-C b N N N .M. 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NN MrNN E—nt!tN �f N E—nt!tN N W4 N E—nt!tN ECA N til tit CL N ^ N N �C N LIE - .Nr CD L .Q 0 Im 0 a a 00 OLL 7 w L -e N 2� Qoawp 0 o�apo �p M -a S`" O N N M ' l0 'O LL tn N .� 00 N ►- c TS Cc xU, c } ,p VOm QZQ� j0 U tF- xf�yUg xg ROaa a a r aaU.�� oYo agx aohm J OmO�Q�g f�J USm ti 00 'C �r NN ZU p$ Z Z x F ?U Z Z c o go U 0 w ax n.m� a�E ag ax am J! a�E o�< N cm oO pmm S � $UL O z OJ M OUO's O W a r4 'u��t�iijj y� d W;2 W�B� r rOON S'U � �.Ugr:LJU� ONT rN N O, • ; .. Ra,, N '�=NN " Is !0 Nf. �w� '.. aslt m hrrN �8 IL p IOoo� Q .� .r 00 �A N t r WL cc 'fl t M M n�i N 0 Im 0 Metropolitan Council r (fk Working for the Region, Planning for the Future August 3, 1999 To: City Managers/Township Clerks in Metropolitan Council District 1 I wanted to contact each community in my Council district to give you an opportunity to receive Council committee packets. The Metropolitan Council has five standing committees: Transportation, Livable Communities, Environment, Management, and Regional Growth Policy. All Council members serve on the Regional Growth Policy Committee, along with two other committees. I serve on the Transportation and Livable Communities Committees. It is at the committee meeting level where detailed presentations are made and in-depth discussion takes place. The information provided at the committee level is draft in nature and does not become final until full Council action is taken. If you have an interest in receiving the informational packets for any or all of these Council committees, please let me know and I will make sure a packet is sent to your community. I can be reached during the day at 612/879-3773. These packets are normally mailed about one week before the committee meeting. (If your community has internet connections, Council and committee agendas can also be reviewed on our website at www.metrocouncii.org. The detailed agenda packet information is not yet available on the internet.) My purpose for offering your community the opportunity to review Metropolitan Council committee packets is that if you ever have any questions or concerns about agenda items, you would be able to contact me prior to the meeting date so that I can incorporate your thoughts into the committee's discussions. We also have established a process to notify local governments when the Council takes action on issues of a significant nature that affect specific communities. And finally, to give you some feel for the types of information discussed at the committee meetings, I have included an agenda item from the Livable Communities Committee's last meeting. I look forward from hearing from you in the near future and thank you for your time in considering this matter. Sincerely, 7�, 4. Y/111 �c Saundra Spigner Metropolitan Council District 1 230 East Fifth Street St. Paul. Minnesota 55101-1626 (651) 602-1000 Fax 602-1550 1UDfM 291-0904 Metro Info I.ine 602-1888 An Equal Opp-a-gy Employer ISLMUNICIPALLBGISLATIVEOOMMISSION TO: MLC Operating Committee FROM: Bob Renner, Jr. RE: Citizens Jury Recommendations DATE: August 6, 1999 League of Minnesota Cities Building 145 University Avenue West, Suite 450 St. Paul, Minnesota 55103 Telephone: (651) 228-9757 Facsimile: (651) 228-9787 Please find attached a copy of the initial recommendations made by the Jefferson Center's Citizen Jury. This report was presented to Governor Ventura and Revenue Commissioner Smith at a press conference earlier this afternoon. After five days of meetings and deliberations, the Jury's recommendations seem to be quite modest. There are no radical changes recommended. In a nutshell, the Jury recommended lowering property taxes slightly and increasing user fees to make up for the lost revenue. This report cost the Department of Revenue $75,000. 5 6 Member Cities: Apple Valley, Bloomington, Burnsville, Eagan, Eden Prairie, Edina, Lakeville, Maplewood, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Roseville, Shoreview, Woodbury Northern States Power Company I%NP r !1 414 Nicollet Mall RS4 Minneapolis, MN 55401 -- Telephone 612-330-2064 August 6, 1999 Dear Valued NSP Customer, We thank you for your patience during the numerous power outages you experienced recently. Anytime your power goes out, we know it's an inconvenience to you. Sometimes outages can be prevented, but due to the complexity of our system, weather, wildlife and other circumstances, often they cannot. At NSP, we believe in providing the best customer service we can. We do our best to respond to outages as quickly as possible, as well as to prevent repeat outages from occurring. Unfortunately, there are times when we don't meet our customers' expectations, and I apologize for the inconvenience caused by these recent outages. We are working to improve our system and prevent outages over which we have control, so that you can have consistently reliable power. Currently, we are working to redistribute the electrical load in your area and have scheduled extensive tree trimming for the areas served by overhead wires. By taking these steps we can work toward our goal of providing you with uninterrupted power. If you have questions about the equipment that provides your power, or would like to learn more about the improvements we are making, just mail back the enclosed card. One of our team members will call you with the specific information you request. We're working to make things better for you, and are confident you will notice improvements. We value you as a customer and appreciate having the opportunity to serve you. Sincerely, James Ashley General Manager Minnesota Electric 9929 — 37`s Avenue North Plymouth, MN 55441 August 9, 1999 Plymouth City Council 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear City Council members: As you know, there is a serious shortage of affordable and low-income housing in the metropolitan area. I understand that Plymouth has been playing a lead role in trying to impact this problem and for that I am very grateful. Keep up the good work! I very much applaud the 1996-2010 City Goals for Development which call for a substantial increase in affordable housing for both ownership and rental purposes. Please continue to be strong advocates for meeting these goals. However, it is also necessary that goals for low-income housing be addressed Specifically, I strongly support an increase in the city's land area targeted for higher density residential use and mixed-use development. I believe that if the proper incentives are in place, developers should be required to build affordable units within larger developments and a target of 15% low and moderate income units should be required Scatter site housing seems to be the most helpful configuration rather than site-specific development. I will be following with interest the decisions made with regard to these issues. Sincerely, Barbara Brooks August 10, 1999 Mayor Joy Tierney Plymouth City Council 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear Mayor Tierney: 'r- 2a , -,r There is a critical shortage of affordable housing in the City of Plymouth. We need affordable housing to support: • Community and economic development • Strong families • Stable workforce • Strong sense of community Affordable housing is extremely important in this community because: • Plymouth is a great city to live in and everyone should be given the opportunity to live there • Living near where you work makes sense for many reasons including convenience, cost, and stress • Employers need employees of all wage ranges • Plymouth needs more diversity for the benefit of all of its citizens, adults and children Please support the updated Housing Plan and Land Use Guide Plan portions of the Comprehensive Plan that include requirements for developers to build affordable housing, and that provide incentives to help make it happen. My husband and I strongly support an updated Comprehensive Plan that includes the following: 1. An increase in the City's land area guided for higher -density residential use and mixed-use development. 2. Requirements for developers to build affordable housing. New construction development, and redevelopment in the city, either owner occupied or rental, should include a variety of prices and designs which serve households with a range of incomes and housing needs (i.e. housing developers who wish to create communities of 30 or more units are required to make at least 15 percent of their units affordable to low- to moderate -income households). 3. Incentives to help make it economically viable for developers to build affordable housing. 4. Policies that support a range of affordability targets (i.e. ownership housing that serves households earning 50-60 percent of the area median income as well as 60-80 percent of the area median income; and rental housing that serves households at or below 30 percent of area median income as well as 30-50 percent of area median income). I have lived in Plymouth for 10 years and think it is a great city, have been a strong supporter of Habitat for Humanity, have volunteered many hours of construction time and have met Habitat's clients (all who need affordable housing). I think that we need to make it possible for all people to live the American dream! Thank you for your consideration. Si ere , Lynn e Co -coordinator, Habitat for Humanity, Messiah United Methodist Church Plymouth Resident 840 Harbor Lane Plymouth, MN 55447 cc: Linda Seaton, Co -coordinator, Habitat for Humanity, Messiah United Methodist Church July 26, 1999 Plymouth City Council 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear Plymouth City Council Members: 8 6 � bUG > > 1999 I believe there is a critical shortage of affordable housing in the Twin Cities and the city of Plymouth. We need affordable housing to serve a wide diversity of residents; singles, senior citizens, families, and first time homebuyers. As I see the commercial development of the city expand, I wonder where the workers at these establishments will be able to find affordable housing in the City of Plymouth. The city needs to be aggressive in planning and implementing strategies for both rental and affordable home ownership for people at all income levels and housing needs. I was disappointed at the Joint City Council and Planning Commission Meeting held on July 27, 1999, to read the negative comments and the spoken comments about the desire to remove the suggested LA3 and LA4 from the development recommendations from certain areas. I think the planning commission did a good job in identifying some areas where this type of development should be acceptable and strongly considered in the overall development of the City of Plymouth. I have owned a manor home and worked full-time in Plymouth since 1991. I was lucky to find something within the city that I could afford to buy, and felt comfortable spending. I am also an active Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity volunteer; working alongside future homeowners, I have seen the sense of pride and hope that comes with giving people an opportunity to be homeowners. Please support updated Housing Plan and Land Use Guide Plan portions of the Comprehensive Plan that include requirements for developers to build affordable housing, and that provide incentives to help make it happen. I encourage you to support an updated Comprehensive Plan that includes the following elements: 1. An increase in the City's land area guided for higher -density residential use and mixed-use development. 2. Requirements for developers to build affordable housing. New construction, development, and redevelopment in the city, either owner occupied or rental, should include a variety of prices and designs which serve households with a range of incomes and housing needs. (Example: Housing developers who wish to create communities of 30 or more units are required to make at least 15 % of their units affordable to low to moderate income households.) 3. Incentives to help make it economically viable for developers to build affordable housing. 4. Policies that support a range of affordability targets (ownership housing that serves households earning 50- 60% of the area medians income as well as 60-80% of the area median income; and rental housing that serves households at or below 30% of area median income as well as 30-50% of area median income). I urge you to step up to your established goals for affordable and diverse housing. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Linda L. Seaton 14215 44h Place North Plymouth, MN 55446 Dear City Council and Park and Recreation Advisory Commission, Our neighborhood of Ferndale North is sorely in need of a neighborhood park/playground. I am asking you to do all you can to help us get one as expeditiously as possible. We have 174 families living in our neighborhood with 150 children aged 14 and younger. We are surrounded by Femdale Road on the west, a big swamp on the south and Hadley Lake on the northeast. We have no sidewalks or even a patch of grass for our children to play on. Our cul de sacs and streets are the only place for them to congregate. Our 22 year old neighborhood is turning over to younger families at a rapid rate. In the last two years, about 15 homes sold with 13 of them now owned by families with small children. We moved to Ferndale North two years ago from our home in Golden Valley where we lived for 9 years. Our Golden Valley home was on a neighborhood park called Stockman Park. We know first hand that a small neighborhood park, such as the one we would like in Ferndale North provides much more than just a place for small children. It is also the "anchor" for the entire neighborhood. It is a place where the men go after supper to shoot hoops together. Families bring relatives and visitors for a walk after dinner. Grandparents bring visiting grand children to play and socialize. People stop by as they stroll or walk through the neighborhood. Neighbors gather to visit and discuss daily events. Celebrations of all kinds are held such as block parties, birthdays and holidays such as Fourth of July,. Fall Harvest and egg hunts. Please do everything in your power to bring a park to our neighborhood for the good of the people here in the City of Plymouth and our neighborhood. We are counting on your positive support. Thank you foryour time and consideration. Sincerely,. u Susan Siege 18520 a Avenue Femdale North Subdivision Dear City Council and Park and Recreation Advisory Commission, I am writing to ask that you please recommend development of a neighborhood park in the Ferndale North Subdivision. Our neighborhood has summer weekly playgroups and we currently have no where to meet. We have many children in our neighborhood that are driven to other neighborhood or city parks on a daily basis. Building a park in our neighborhood would not only cut down our traffic, therefore increase traffic safety, but also would provide a safe place for the kids to play. We constantly guard them from the traffic while playing in our yards or sloping driveways. It would be relieving to be able to stroll them to a safe place to play and exercise. We may be close to the Luce Line, however, young children do not have the stamina to bike to the next nearest park. We need a place to gather for the children as well as the parents here in our neighborhood. Please make this a priority to see that this neighborhood park becomes a reality. We are asking for your support. Thank you very much. Sincerely, Patti Keeney 900 Brockton Lane North Plymouth, MN 55447 745-0060 Mayor Joy Tierney 3400 Plymouth Blvd Plymouth, MN 55447' ' Dear Mayor Tierney, Tom' � t August 9, 1999 I am writing to ask you to support a park for our children in the undeveloped field in Ferndale North The property is undeveloped in an area of our neighborhood where there is no other common property where our children can play. The reference to this property as a "nature preserve" is, in my opinion, purely historical. The property has never been developed as a nature preserve -either by the city or the local residents. Likewise, it has not been used as a nature preserve. There is no real public access, no trails, no parking and no plantings. It is, in effect, a weed field with a nice stand of trees. Those contesting a park in this area do not intend to support a real nature preserve -one that would allow for access, trails, and public usage and city development. In fact, that group feels this property is their right to control and to keep the rest of the neighborhood and Plymouth from using on any regular basis. This vote is far more about a small group of people who want to maintain control of public property -at the exclusion of the rest of our residents -than it is their rallying against a park. Either the Parks Commission or City of Plymouth should not confuse personal property rights with the proper use of public property. Likewise, if we look at what is best for the future of Plymouth and this neighborhood, inactivity regarding this plot hardly appears to be the best civic solution. A park is a natural and best use for this undeveloped public property. Please vote in favor of our children and our neighborhood and against the status quo that demands this property remains useless. Plymouth, MN. 55447 7450060 i From: Peet, James[mailto:James.R.Peet@Norwest.com] v Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 1999 8:52 AM To: 'kelli.slavik@gpmlaw. com'; 'bradb2@aol.com'; 'judyinplym@aol.com'; Isharstad@mailexcite.com' Cc: Internet Contact; 'roger629@hotmail.com'; Peet, Kathleen Subject: Suggest that the city adopt a plan to have historical markers for key historical locations Our City's history is rapidly fading. For the current and future residents of Plymouth I suggest that the city adopt a plan and fund the design, purchase and installation of historical markers that mark key locations in Plymouth's history. I suggest that the plan be implemented over a 5 year period of time so that the expense is not so great in any one year. I suggest that the city work with the Plymouth Historical Society and/or the West Hennepin Historical Society to identify and select the historical locations that would be candidates for these markers. I suggest that key dates, a historical brief, and a sketch of the building at that site be included on a bronze plaque on a stone marker for these sites. Here are some sites / locations that I suggest: Schiebe's Comer / Half -Way Tavern (I believe was near Rt. 73 / Rt. 55). Old Methodist Church (at location of the New Horizon day care center on County Road 6) The Pavilion (I believe by the Luce Line trail behind Parker's Lake) If you would like to visit a neat Website that has some of Plymouth's history posted on the Internet, you are invited to visit htta://www.DIVMouth-mn.com Sincerely, Jim Peet 4260 Cottonwood LN N Plymouth, MN 55441 612-519-0203 Jim Peet Wells Fargo Services Company * Phone: 612-667-7907 * Fax: 815-371-3600 * Email: james.r.peet@norwest.com MAC N9301-1-30 S.J August 13, 1999 ITV C PLYMOUTH+ Allen R. Tank, Chief Executive Office METROPOLITAN ANESTHESIA NETWORK 14700 28' Avenue North, Suite 20 Plymouth, MN 55447 SUBJECT: NSP POWER RELIABILITY Dear Allen: I am responding to your letter to Mayor Joy Tierney concerning the reliability of power from NSP for small businesses. You copied your letter to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and Northern States Power Company. As you may be aware, cities have no regulatory authority over public utilitiL.;. The State of Minnesota has established the Minnesota Public Utility Commission to regulate public utilities such as NSP. I would suggest that you have your MAN Staff Attorney, Jim Siepen, contact the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. By copy of this letter to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and to Northern States Power Company, I am also requesting that they respond directly to you regarding your January 19, 1999 letter with a copy to me. A copy of your letter has also been shared with all City Councilmembers. Sincerely, Fred G. Moore, P.E. Director of Public Works cc: Laurie Ahrens, Asst. City Manager (C/R 99-47) John R. Theis, Manager Minnesota Public Utilities Commission NORTHERN STATES POWER CO. 121 East 7' Place 8701 Monticello Lane St. Paul, MN 53101-2147 Maple Grove, MN 55369 F:�pM i—inQ\GENEML%LMXFRED%I"%Tank.dw PLYMOUTH A Beaatif ul Place v Live 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD - PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 - TELEPHONE (612) 509-5000 www.d.plymouth.mn.us Metropolitan ALLEN R. TANK Voice: (612) 559-3779 x12 Anes"esia Network CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Cell: (612) 9405252 14700 28th Avenue North. Suite 20 FAX: (612) 559-3791 Plymouth. MN 55447 E-mail: atank@hmadoc.com July 19, 1999 — Mayor Joy Tierney Plymouth City Hall 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 Dear Mayor Tierney: As the Chief Executive Officer of a small corporation located in the Plymouth office park, I need to call to your attention the problem of recurrent, unscheduled, irregular, total power blackouts which frequently occur in the park, and request your assistance in the resolution of the problem. Metropolitan Anesthesia Network, L.L.P. (MAN) is a partnership of anesthesiologists owned by two professional associations, Anesthesia Associates, P.A. (AAPA) and Midwest Anesthesiologists, P.A. (MAPA). Through Health Billing Systems L.L.P. (HBS) and Health Management Alternatives, L.L.P. (HMA), which are also owned by AAPA and MAPA, practice management services and state of the art technology services are provided to over 170 Physician Anesthesiologists and Nurse Anesthetists. These physicians and nurses are located at 17 facilities in the Twin Cities, Duluth, and St. Cloud areas. The cornerstone of our practice management group is applying technology to anesthesia practice management concepts. A necessary component of technological tools is a ready and consistent source of electricity. Currently, due to the frequent, recurrent, unscheduled, and irregular total power blackouts, we do not have that source in the Plymouth office park. Every time an unscheduled, irregular, total power blackout occurs we loose hundreds of man-hours in lost data, missed communications, and software reprogramming. The bottom line is this, from our perspective the Plymouth office park is, because of the electricity problem, not technologically friendly and unless the park becomes technologically friendly we will be forced to relocate to an office park that is. Please don't take this letter wrong. Plymouth is a very nice community and we enjoy living and working here but, the days of "gee, too bad your power went out" and then waiting hours for restoration are over. In the business world of the next millennium, where technology will rule and where MAN intends to operate, these responses to frequent, recurrent, unscheduled, and irregular total power blackouts, won't cut it. _ "Anesthesiologists committed to the Integrated Anesthesia Care Team" Mayor Joy Tierney July 19, 1999 Page 2 1 If you have any questions or comments regarding this request for assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the MAN staff attorney, Jim Sieben, at 612.559.3779 x43. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, Al� e Allen R. Tank Chief Executive Officer cc: Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Senator Gen Olson Representative Henry Todd Van Dellen Northern States Power Company "Anesthesiologists committed to the Integrated Anesthesia Care Team" August 13, 1999 CITY C)F PLYMOUTH+ Lance Kiland 800 Ithaca Lane Plymouth, MN 55447 SUBJECT: TRAFFIC NOISE FROM I-494 Dear Lance: Mayor Tierney has requested that I respond to your letter to her concerning the traffic noise on I-494 in the area of your home. You state in your letter that you feel that asphalt roadways generate less traffic noise than concrete roads. Both concrete road surfaces and asphalt road surfaces generate traffic noise which increases as the surfaces age and become rougher. In your letter you requested information when this portion of I-494 may be overlayed with asphalt. I-494 is maintained by the MN Dept. of Transportation., I am forwarding a copy of your letter along with this letter to the district engineer for this area requesting that they provide a response to your letter. I am further requesting that MnDOT provide a copy to me which I would share with the City Council. Your letter has been received by all Councilmembers. Sincerely, Fred G. Moore, P.E. Director of Public Works cc: Laurie Ahrens, Asst. City Manager (C/R 99-48) Richard A. Stehr, Division Engineer Metro Division Waters Edge Building 1500 West County Road B2 Roseville, MN 55113 F: w1 iviwdn;\GENERAL%LTRS%FRED\I"Miland.dw PLYMOUTH A Beaati}uf Place o Give 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD • PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 - TELEPHONE (612) 509-5000 ®,�...w:.. www.ci.plymouth.mn.us 1� r .� JUL 2 2 1999 August 13, 1999 Ann Svensson 13620 - 60' Place N Plymouth, MN 55446 PLYMOUTR SUBJECT: STOP SIGN - LAKE CAMELOT ADDITION Dear Ann: Your letter to City Councilmember Tim Bildsoe concerning the installation of the stop sign at Yucca Lane and 60' Place was referred to me for a written response. You have previously talked with both Councilmember Tim Bildsoe and City Engineer Dan Faulkner concerning the sign. The City Council received a petition for the stop sign from a majority of the property owners within 500 feet of the intersection. Also, when this request was presented to the City Council a representative of the homeowner's association board of directors spoke and stated that the Board of Directors was also in favor and support of the installation of this "all -way" stop intersection. In your letter you stated that you were able to catch a rerun of the Council meeting on our cable channel and therefore was able to view the Council discussion. In my opinion, there were two key reasons why the City Council authorized the stop sign although it was not a unanimous vote of the Council. The key reasons were: • The stop sign was supported by the homeowner's association • This stop sign only affects the Lake Camelot Estates Addition and not other traffic If you would like to have the City Council review their decision, I would suggest that you get the support of the homeowner's association and have them make a request to the City Council. - All City Councilmembers have received a copy of your July 15 letter to Councilmember Tim Bildsoe. Sincerely, Fred G. Moore, P.E. Director of Public Works cc: Laurie Ahrens, Assistant City Manager (C/R 99-49) PLYMOUTH A'BcautiJu!'Flae'M&�`�eerinjlSIGNSWOMLTRS\1999%Svenswn 8_I3.doc Ile 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD - PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA 55447-1482 • TELEPHONE (612) 509-5000 www.d.plymouth.mn.us -- Ann Svensson 13620 60'x' Place North Plymouth MN 55446 City Council Tim Bildsoe Plymouth City Hall 3400 Plymouth Blvd. Plymouth MN 55447 Dear W. Bildsoe, July 15, 1999 JUL 1999 - I would like to thank you able to have for you prompt return of my phone call and I appreciated the conversation we were able to have. I was able to catch a re -run of the council meeting pertaining to the stop sign on 6e and Yucca, and although I would have to admit this probably isn't one of the most important issues facing the City of Plymouth, a couple of items discussed by the council raised some question in my mind about the way this matter was handled. I had not realized before that the council had adopted a format in issuing stop signs. Like so many people I often wonder why we have so many rules and regulations.but this one small matter makes me realize often these regulations are put into place to avoid abuse and over use, in this case of what Mayor Tierney referred to as a stop sign happy city. It was apparent that most of the council felt somewhat uncomfortable about a sign but decided to negate their format. I also accept your explanation of why that decision was made Mr. Bildsoe, but let me give you an example of why that may not be a good idea for the council to continue. Recently I had a small addition added to my home. One of the footings for this addition was too close to a retaining wall, which did not meet code. In order for the footing to comply with the city code I had to remove the existing wall, rebuild a new wall and repair considerable damage done to my yard. Not once did I question the necessity of this _ work. I just assumed those regulations were put into place for good reason. I must say I found it disturbing that the council rejected their own regulations and the advice of the city engineer and I wonder now if it was really necessary for me to spend $1500 and a lot of work for just a few inches. I have to trust that the city and building inspectors have good reason for these regulations and it is to avoid abuse. Even the installation of this stop sign had to follow rules and regulations, hence a stop sign planted in my perennial flower garden. I feel I am in a rock and a hard place on this issue because as I told you, I really love my neighborhood. It is not my intention to cause a rife in this neighborhood over one stop sign, but I do feel some of the facts presented to the council were exaggerated and for a better word possibly misleading. As the council is aware the meter put up did not indicate a problem that would necessitate a sign, especially in lieu of the fact that I can't be sure the speed that was reported by this meter are even accurate. It was reported there was one car reported to be going 50, if that was true that of course is excessive, but it was one car and could it be possible someone was just trying to see how high a number they could get on the meter. It was also reported that their were 16 cars over forty, could any of that be attributed to the neighbors themselves who were driving up and down Vucca to pad the numbers of the meter. That situation really bothers me. You also mentioned you had heard that a sign would help cut down on the town home traffic. As we talked, there is almost no reason a town homeowner would use Yucca and even if they did, they certainly have every right to use a city street and it doesn't mean they are speeding. I questioned why a stop sign would be put on a cull de sac and your response was because that was where the homeowners wanted it, yet my neighbors who were instrumental in bringing about this action assured me that they really wanted it a block down the street where there is a through street and where all the school busses stop, which would mean it would be in front of their homes. The suggestion that just because I have grown children I don't care about the safety in this neighborhood is not only absurd, it is insulting. I live on this corner and spend a great deal of time in my yard. I feel I am very aware of what goes on down Yucca Lane. So this is what I am left with 1. A stop sign not only in my yard, but also in my flower garden. 2. A stop sign that the council circumvented their standards to allow. 3. A stop sign that was put into place by what I see as questionable facts. 4. A stop sign that is not only awkward going in and out of this cull de sac, but just as I feared creates considerable no a:;. Before this sign I was rarely aware of cars and trucks going by, now it is a constant disturbance.4. A stop sign that may cause more problems as we look to winter road conditions. I fear that now that this sign is in place, it is here to stay and it is disheartening that what I believe is a serious mistake will be hard to remedy. It is my life experience that once people take a stand on something, even when it is an error, it is hard to undue. Maybe it was the late hour that caused the council to pass this, or as you said your desire to grant the wishes of what you were led to believe was a consensus of the neighborhood. _ Frankly Mr. Bildsoe, I commend the council for your willingness to listen to the citizens and work with them, I just feel we may have been duped, and I am left to pay the price. I sincerely thank you and Mr. Faulkner for your time and willingness to listen to my concerns. Sincerely, Ann Svensson CC: Mayor Tierney Dan Faulkner ` iP W W a m z W o� o� rl C O O U � w � Cl.00 c 0 0 -v o u ^o � G 3 0 Gs, . O •v o O y 0 I y N eta c� �, Co� S. ' o � .r .. No. OCL co U o a� a N 40 H WU S. ° (n in �, ►a 0y L w0 as ON N N M �, M .-- M -- '00 p O O O 00 Ocis 00 O ON ON ON ON N O 00 O t— O O O O O� ON ON O N .� N N N N N N N N t4. CD n O n O n O n O r - O ON aN ON Q\ as C14N N N N N N N O O O O O O .� .y y c 9 0 y 0 o cn O U •� ami � a. 3 w° 0 � � t a 'd E ed UU 00ca O N Q y cn > Q O 1 •b U A S ¢� a d 0 0 0 From: AMM To: Kathy Lueckert Date: 816199 Time: 2:40:06 PM AMM FAX HEWS August 2-6, 1999 Auditor cites TIF reporting progress Bill Connors of the Office of the State Auditor (OSA) reported to the AMM's Housing and Economic Development Committee this week that as of Aug. 2, 73 percent of all TIF districts have filed substantially completed TIF reports. Connors also noted that 48 TIF authorities have not filed reports. In discussing the report- ing status, he suggested that some TIF authorities may have assumed that it is not required to report because the district was decertified in 1998. Reporting is required under certain conditions for districts for at least a year after decertification The 1999 reporting progress is not comparable to prior years because the OSA instituted a new review process in 1998. AMM Fax News is faxed periodically to all AMM city managers and administrators. The information is in- tended to be shared with mayors, councilmembers and staff in order to keep officials abreast of important metro city issues. OCopyright 1999 AMM 14.5 University Avenue West St. Paul, MN 55103-2044 Phone: (651) 215-4000 Fax: (651) 281-1299 E-mail. amm®amm145.org Page 2 of 2 4W Association of Metropolitan Municipalities Met Council releases budget Regional Administrator Jim Solem and Met Council staff presented the year 2000 unified operating budget at the Aug. 4 meeting of the Regional Growth Policy Committee. The proposed $472.6 million budget is 2.6 percent above the current year's budget. Most of the budget increase is for transit, while the budgets for the Council's other divisions are either declining or flat. The unified budget is funded by user fees (environmental services and transit), federal and state grants, of which some are passed through to local governments, and a tax levy. The proposed tax levy of $130.278 million is 6.1 percent above the 1999 levy. Of the total levy approximately 76 percent is for transit operations and transit debt service. If adopted, the Council's levy is estimated to be approxi- mately $96 on a $120,000 home- stead. The budget does not propose an increase in transit fares but does reduce municipal waste water rates by 4.5 percent over 1991. The budget will be subject to Council committee meetings and the final budget and levy should be adopted in December. Subsequent AMM faxes will provide additional Council budget details. ALOHA amounts to be released Within the next few days, cities should receive their Affordable Life -Cycle Housing Opportunity Amounts (ALOHA) for the year 2000. ALOHA is part of the Livable Communities Act (LCA) and is the minimum amount the city should be spending on affordable life cycle - housing. The legislative formula for the ALOHA considers growth in the market value of homesteads and the growth in homesteads that are twice the average homestead located in the city. As a result of the formula, 19 cities, which did not have a 1998 ALOHA, will have ALOHA in 1999. Other cities will experience rather significant increases in the annual amounts. The AMM Housing and Economic Development Committee will meet with Council staff to review the formula and determine if there should be changes in the formula. DATE: August 13, 1999 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Dwight D. Johnson, City Manager SUBJECT: Summary of Events Ferndale North park issue. The Park and Recreation Advisory Commission met last night on the Ferndale North park/open space issue. Eric Blank reports that about 56 residents appeared, and perhaps 20 spoke. A few more of the speakers appeared to be in favor of retaining the park as open space rather than developing any of it. After three hours, PRAC members voted 6-0 to recommend that the area remain open space, that the entry areas be opened up to allow walking access into the area, and that opportunties for active recreation should continue to be sought in the general neighborhood area. The PRAC recommendation will go to the Planning Commission on September 8th. Budget. Final preparations on the draft budget are underway, and we plan to have the draft to you at the end of next week. The first budget study session is scheduled for August 24th with a follow-up meeting on September I". While the proposed budget will be at or close to the current tax rate, the average resident will likely see a 2-3% increase (about $10 per year) in actual taxes paid to the City for the proposed budget. There are still some late valuation figures coming from the County that will sharpen up our_ estimates next week. Facilitator. As most of you know, we have had a facilitator, Mr. Bill Hudson, working with employees and supervisors in our maintenance divisions for most of this year. The results have been excellent, and we are winding up the process with some training sessions and "checkup" sessions before the end of the year. Now, members of the police department have shown interest in working with the same facilitator. He has met with some of the officers, the Lieutenants, and the Chief so far. A meeting with the Sergeants is scheduled for next week. Assuming all agree to move forward, we will inviting Mr. Hudson to work with the police this Fall. Labor Negotiations. Negotiations will be beginning soon with all four of the City's bargaining units: police, sergeants, maintenance workers, and the CTP (clerical, technical, and professional employees) unit. All four contracts are up on December 31 sc With the maintenance workers, and quite possibly the CTP group, we will be trying a new process called "interest-based bargaining" rather than the more traditional "position- based" bargaining. In the interest-based bargaining, issues are identified and explored regarding the true needs or desires of each party. Then various solutions are proposed and evaluated to try to find the best fit in meeting the needs of both sides. Ideally, this is a more collaborative approach. The State Bureau of Mediation provides training and facilitates these sessions. Train whistles. Thursday, Craig Gerdes and I attended a meeting hosted by the CP Railroad where a regional official of the Federal Railway Commission talked. About six years ago, Plymouth passed an ordinance against train whistles at night except in emergencies or at crossings without lights and gates. The Federal government has been studying for five years on whether or not to allow these "quiet zones" to continue, and a proposed final regulation is expected this Fall. One intriguing alternative technology that has emerged is the idea of a fixed automated horn at the crossing. A horn would direct an audible warning directly toward the crossing, eliminating the need for the train to blow its whistle for hundreds of yards either side of the crossing. The literature shows that the degree of neighborhood sound is cut drastically, and there is no evidence that safety at the crossings is compromised in the three test cities where this has been tried in Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa. At the meeting yesterday, we expressed our interest in possibly becoming a Minnesota test city, since train whistle noise has been an ongoing concern of a number of our residents. We will follow-up with them to see if this is a possibility for Plymouth. Providence Academy. Formerly known as the Wayzata Academy, this proposed private school is now considering building on Schmidt Lake Road east of Vicksburg. They are planning a neighborhood meeting on August 19'' at 7:30 p.m. at Plymouth Covenant Church, 4300 Vicksburg. They say that Council members and Planning commissioners will get a letter of invitation. DATE: August 13, 1999 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Dwight D. Johnson, City Manager SUBJECT: Summary of Agenda Items for August 17, 1999 6.15. Second quarter financial report. The report shows no problems, but it is interesting to note that the projected surplus for 1999 is predicted to be in the $250,000 range, which is about the amount we need annually to meet our cash flow policy which calls for beginning each year with a General Fund cash amount equal to 40% of the budget. This is because we do not get any general tax receipts each year until July. 8.1 Wayzata stadium. Only one resident showed up for the neighborhood meeting sponsored by the school district Tuesday evening and no one showed up at the Planning Commission meeting Wednesday night. Notice had been mailed to all within 500'. So far, this does not look like a controversial proposal, unlike the Armstrong stadium project several years ago. There is plenty of parking on site, the lights will be shielded, measures taken to control the sound, and off-duty police will be hired to control the traffic. The item for approval at this meeting is simply the site plan; several variances are discussed in the report but are on a separate approval timeline. 8.2 Y2K report. The report shows that the City is 85% complete in its technological updates and a staffing plan for the new year weekend is also now in place. The two most important items not yet complete are the testing of some new financial and utility billing software. Both items have been installed, but need more testing. 9.1 Fire Station 4. With excellent assistance from Anne Hurlburt, the Public Safety department has documented the need for a fourth fire station. Over 4,000 current and future residents would see a response time reduction averaging more than 1 % minutes, based upon current 2020 plans and densities. If more density is added, or more development ultimately allowed after 2020, the number of households benefitted might be over 6,000. We have a good opportuntity to share the cost of a fire station with Maple Grove and get the benefit of a full station for about half the capital and operating cost. Assuming the Council agrees that the need is emerging, actual construction would probably be 3-5 years away. 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