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Home My WebLink AboutCouncil Information Memorandum 01-27-20063 CITY OF PLYMOUTH rp COUNCIL INFO MEMO January 27, 2006 UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS Planning Commission February 1 special meeting agenda .................................................. Page 3 Planning Commission February 1 regular meeting agenda ................................................... Page 4 Human Rights Commission February 2 meeting outline ...................................................... Page 5 January, February, and March 2006 Official City Meeting Calendars ................................. Page 7 Tentative list of agenda items for future City Council meetings ........................................ Page 13 INFORMATION... News Articles, Releases, Publications, etc ... Invitation to the Empty Bowls Project auction and fundraiser ........................................... Page 15 Sun Sailor news story about the City's 23rd "Excellence in Financial Reporting" award and other City related activities................................................................................ Page 16 Pioneer Press story on lawmakers' fight for road repair funds .......................................... Page 18 Star Tribune news story about the Eagan City Council's decision not to permit residential development of a golf course............................................................................ Page 19 Star Tribune "West Edition" story about commuting trends in the west metro suburbs................................................................................................................... The Construction Specifier trade publication story about the increased use of pervious concrete; article submitted by Councilmember Stein ............................ Research Works government housing newsletter story about public opinion towards public housing; submitted by Councilmember Willis .............................. Staff Reports Report on a scheduled bicycle roundtable ......................................... Update on major infrastructure projects ............................................ Report on Metrolink ridership........................................................... Update on 2006 mill and overlay projects ......................................... Minutes Youth Advisory Council January 9 meeting ...................................... Suburban Rate Authority annual meeting .......................................... ...... Page 20 ..... Page 22 ...... Page 30 .......Page 33 ...... Page 35 ...... Page 36 ...... Page 40 ............................ Page 42 ............................ Page 44 CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION MEMO Januaw 27, 2006 Page 2 Correspondence Thank -you letter from REACH Sports Marketing Group for the City's cooperation in a recent project at the Ice Center..................................................................Page 48 PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA SPECIAL MEETING WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2006 WHERE: Medicine Lake Room Plymouth City Hall 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 1. CALL TO ORDER - 6:30 P.M. 2. OATH OF OFFICE — Planning Commissioner Karl Neset 3. NEW BUSINESS A. Election of Planning Commission Chair and Vice Chair for 2006. B. Appointment of Planning Commissioner to serve as liaison to the Park and Recreation Advisory Committee. 4. ADJOURNMENT 5 PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2006 WHERE: CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS Plymouth City Hall 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 CONSENT AGENDA All items listed on the consent agenda* are considered to be routine by the Planning Commission and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a Commissioner, citizen or petitioner so requests, in which event the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered in normal sequence on the agenda. 1. CALL TO ORDER - 7:00 P.M. 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. PUBLIC FORUM 4. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 5. CONSENT AGENDA* A. Approve the January 18, 2006 Planning Commission Meeting Minutes. B. Bruce Larson. Approve variances for redevelopment of a non -conforming lot and impervious surface coverage to allow construction of a new home for property located at 10300 South Shore Drive. (2005147) 6. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. Rice-Stromgren Architects. Conditional use permit, site plan amendment, and variance to allow a building expansion at Plymouth Presbyterian Church at 3755 Dunkirk Lane North. (2005149) 7. NEW BUSINESS A. Accept Planning Commission 2005 Annual Report and 2006 Annual Work Plan. 8. ADJOURNMENT AGENDA Plymouth Human Rights Commission February 2, 2006 Student Sub Group Meeting at 6:00 p.m. — 7:00 p.m. Meeting at 7:00 p.m. — 8:30 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Works- Minneapolis YWCA "It is Time to Talk" 5 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS Sunday Monday Tuesday v Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 NEW YEAR'S DAY CITY OFFICES OBSERCLOSEDIN VANCE OF THE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Black Box Theater, 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, Plymouth Creek Center Conference Room 2 Plymouth Creek Center 8 9 10 11 12 13 .14 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL. Plymouth Creek Canter, lower level Conference Room 2 5:]0 PM SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING DISCUSS STREET RECONSTRUCTION ASSESSMENT POLICY. DISCUSS CCR APPOITMENTS; PI, -1N Gawk Cam. M_ii Room J 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EQC), Plymouth Creek Center Classroom A 7:00 PM PARK & RECREATION ADVISORY COMMISSION (PRAC), Plymouth Creek Center Classroom A 7:DD PM REGULAR CITY CWNCIL MEETING. Black Bao iNWN, PymoNN Crank GM. IS 16 .17 18 19 20 2.1 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. BIRTHDAY CityOffices (ObserYeClosed 0:00 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: COUNCIL VES; REVISE OBJECTIVES; COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULE, Plymouth Creek Center Conference Room 2 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Black Box Theater, Plymouth Creek Center 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT (HRA), Plymouth CCreereek Center, Meeting Room 1 lower level 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Plymouth Creek Center, lower level Conference Room 2 I 11 ds AM PLYMOUTH BUSINESS COUNCIL, 12201 Rid .d.I. oma. Min—nk. 5 ]D PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: CITY MANAGER ANNUAL EVALUATION, PLYMOUTH CREEK CENTER CONF. RM 2 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON TRANSIT (PACT), Plymouth Creek Center 7.00 PM REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING, 81- Bea TMM.. P,,, , C—C.n..r 29 30 31 Feb 2006 Dec 2005 0:00 PM SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING: S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 PLYMOUTH AREA LEGISLATORS, Plymouth Creek Center, Fireside Room 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 26 27 28 modified on 1/27/2006 4 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS Fehruary 2006 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 2 2 J 4 Jan 2006 Mar 2006 S M T W T F S S M T W T F S 6:30 PM SPECIAL PLANNING 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS 2:00 PM -7:00 PM FIRE & ICE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 COMMISSION MEETING, COMMISSION - FEST8 9 10 11 12 13 14 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R omClne Medicine Lake Parkers akALe 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Room CANCELED 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 29 30 31 26 27 28 29 30 31 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, Council Chambers 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 6:00 PM SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING: DISCUSS HOUR RESTRICTIONS ON WEEKEND 7:00 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE (EOC), Council 7:00 PM PARK & REC ADVISORY COMMISSION Med..j- ChambersCONSTRUCTION; (PRAC), Council Lake Room Chambers 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING. Council Chambers 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, 7:00 PM PLANNING 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT Council ChambersAUTHORITY COMMISSION, MadicinneLake Rom Council Chambers 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 PRESIDENTS 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH DAY - City ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON Offices Closed TRANSIT (PACT). Medicine Lake Room 26 27 28 7:00 PM YOUTH Tao AM MLc REGRNUL ADVISORY COUNCIL, Council Chambere LEGISLATIVE MEETING, PI11nw10 ReGnew. 3131 crePw am. 11:46 AM PLYMOUTH BUSINESS COUNCIL. 12201 RidpetleN OMS. MimNmke 11'. e6 AM T W INW EST STATE OG THE CITY LUNCHEON, PITmwU Creek Cents 7.00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Cwncll Cha = modified on 1/27/2006 OFFICIAL CITY MEETINGS March 2006 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 7:00 PM PLANNING COMMISSION, 2 7:00 PM HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - 3 4 Feb 2006 S M T W T F S Apr 2006 S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Council Chambers Medicine Lake Room ASH WEDNESDAY 26 27 28 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 5 6 7 8 9 .10 11 5:45 PM -7:45 PM YOU CONFERENCE, 7:00 PM Caucus Night 700 PM ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMITTEE Council Chambers ORY C),LEADERSHIP lMh(EDC), �P] Plymouth Creek 7:00 PM JOINT Center COUNCIL -PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING: LAND USE PLAN FOR NORTHWEST PLYMOUTH, C-=1 Ch-, 12 13 14 15 16 .17 18 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORYCOUNCIL, Council Chambers F7:00 PM REGULAR NCIL MEETING, nctl Chambers 7:00 PM PLANNING OMMISSION, :CouncilChambers 7:00 PM HOUSING & REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (HRA). Medicine Lake Room 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 7:00 PM SPECIAL MEETING: LAND USE PLAN FOR NORTHWEST Council Chambers =PLYMOTHCOUNCIL ,PLYMOUTH, m 26 27 28 29 30 31 7:00 PM YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL, Council Chambers 11 A5 AM PLYMOUTH BUSINESS COUNCIL, 12201 Ridgedale Drive, Minnetonka PRIMAVERA PLYMOUTH FINE ARTS COUNCIL SHOW Plymouth Creek Center 7:00 PM REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING, Council Chambers modified on 1/27/2006 Tentative Schedule for City Council Agenda Items February 7, Special, 6:00 p.m., City Hall • Discuss hour restrictions on weekend construction February 7, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Approve Human Rights Commission 2005 Annual Report and 2006 Work Plan • Approve agreement for use of the parking lot at St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church as an alternative park and ride facility (tabled from January 10) • Assessment hearing for City Center Street Lighting Project (4143) • Approve Planning Commission 2005 Annual Report and 2006 Annual Plan • Approve Plymouth Advisory Committee on Transit 2005 Annual Report an 2006 Work Plan • Approve Environmental Quality Committee 2005 Annual Report and 2006 Work Plan • Approve annual update of the Zoning Ordinance and Subdivision Regulations. City of Plymouth. (2005112) • Approve variance for lot width less than the required minimum and for impervious surface coverage of 32.7 percent to allow construction of a new home for property located at 10300 South Shore Drive. Bruce Larson. (2005147) • Approve final plat for "Highway 55 Office Condominiums" to allow construction of a three -unit office building for property located at 18240 Highway 55 Ace Properties, LLC. (2005086F) • Approve Planned Unit Development Amendment for a patio room and deck addition for property located at 15660 17th Avenue North. Champion Patio Rooms. (2005145) (Postponed from January 24) • Approve bus purchase options • Approve Change Order No. 6 for Central and Zachary Water Treatment Plants (2032) • Approve amendment to agreement for observation and testing services at the Central and Zachary Water Treatment Plants (2032) • Approve payment No. 11 for Zachary Lane Reservoir project (3108) • Approve payment No. 10 for Lancaster Lane Lift Station (3114) • Approve award of contract for City Center Street Lighting Project (4143) • Approve Preliminary Engineering Report and Call for Public Hearing on 2006 mill And overlay project (6106) • Approve streets and utilities for continual maintenance • Approve Tobacco License for Jack's Tobacco, 16605 Co. Rd. 24 February 28, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Update on I-394 MnPass Project (Nick Thompson, from the Minnesota Department of Transportation) • Approve Park and Recreation Advisory Commission (PRAC) 2005 Annual Report and 2006 Work Plan • Assessment hearing for 2005 Weed Eradication and Destruction, Roll 1 • Assessment hearing for 2005 removal and destruction of Diseased Trees, Roll 1 • Approve change order No. 2 Plymouth Metrolink Station 73 Transit Facility (3125) 1-3 Note: Special Meeting topics have been set by Council; all other topics are tentative. March 9, Joint Meeting with Planning Commission, 7:00 p.m., Plymouth Creek Center • Land Use Plan for Northwest Plymouth March 14, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Project hearing for 2006 Street Reconstruction Project, Hemlock Lane, South Bass Lake, and Lost Lake (6101) March 21, Special, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers • Land Use Plan for Northwest Plymouth March 28, Regular, 7:00 p.m., Council Chambers i� DOUPER 101AIL WIGHT Join us as we host an EMPTY BOWLS 281 fundraiser to benefit PRISM, a social service agency providing food, financial assistance, transportation & other services to families in our community. Tuesday, January 31st 5:00-8:00 PM PILIGRI rSCN0-0L What is Souper Eous1 ilisitt? 1. A soup dinner enjoyed with family & neighbors. 2. An auction of over 300 hand -made bowls designed by students & our SOUPER HEROES to raise money to help end hunger in our community. 3. A celebration of the difference a bunch of kids can make in our world. 4. Your opportunity to make a donation to help families in your community. Dinner is free. Everyone is invite,j.... please join us! Kid bovv(s are available for a minimum donation of $10. A silent auction wi-11 be heli for o-ur- 0URER H ERO=bw) FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EMPTY BOWLS 281, PLEASE CONTACT: Ua1e n2htXlee & Sh VP1111 16indsaw EMPTY BOWL 281 COORDINATORS Gale_Minnice@rdale.k12.mn.us OR 763-504-7246 Sherrill_Lindsey@rdale.k12.mn.us OR 763-504-7215 vvww. e m p ty b o w 1 s 2 81. o it g 15 M U 44 community newspapers Hahn receives 23rd Excellence in Financial Reporting Award BY SALLY THOMPSON - SUN NEWSPAPERS (Created: Thursday, January 19, 2006 12:48 PM CST) If anyone doubts Plymouth Finance Director Dale Hahn and his staff keep an eagle eye on city finances, they have only to look at the accumulation of "Excellence in Financial Reporting" awards the city has garnered under his expertise. To date, Hahn has received 23 of the annual awards. In addition to making sure the city's financial records are meticulously maintained, meeting state and national standards, Hahn and his staff watch trends and manage taxpayer dollars carefully, said Mayor Judy Johnson. Noting that hundreds and hundreds of hours go into keeping accurate financial records for Plymouth, Hahn credited his co-workers for helping achieve the award. "I've been very fortunate to have such an excellent staff," he said. Tea House Chinese Restaurant, 88 Nathan Lane, was fined $1,000 and their 3.2 beer and wine license was suspended for 10 days because the restaurant failed a compliance check in September. It was the second such failure within two years. The vote on a request from the restaurant to add an on -sale and Sunday liquor license was postponed to the Jan. 24 council meeting, giving the city attorney time to prepare findings of fact for denial. The council agreed to attach a 12 -month probation period to its decision. If there is no further violations at the restaurant within a year, the business would be eligible to reapply for an expanded liquor license. Speaking on behalf of the restaurant owners, Joe Oliver cited language difficulties with complicating the situation. In order to be part of the city's best practices program, in which bar and restaurant servers are trained to be compliant with the law by the Police Department, translators might be needed, he said. However, the server - who was not at the City Council meeting - did not claim language difficulty during the compliance check, Johnson noted. An unexpected cost of $64,500 for an earth retention system for the transit station under construction at County Road 73 and Highway 55 was reported by Pat Qvale, transit director. The work is necessary because underground utilities were more extensive than expected. Also, more soil testing will have to be done, she said. Helping to offset the costs will be $250,000 in funds from the Met Council. The money represents what would be the city's allocation for 2006 and 2007, if there were capital transit projects planned for those years, she said. - Councilmember Ginny Black asked the city to postpone the final payment for the Medicine Lake Water Quality Pond, which was recently completed. The landscaping done wasn't adequate, she said. Councilmember Jim Willis suggested the city engineer meet with the project consultant to see if anything was overlooked. If everything was done in compliance with the plans, the city can use it as a case study for future projects and set more stringent guidelines for landscaping, Black said. The Wayzata Hockey Association (WHA) presented a check for $60,000 to the city to help pay for n improvements to the Plymouth Ice Center. Only $200,000 remains of the WHA's commitment of $725,000 toward the project, said Greg Gibson, WHA president. A total of 1,175 youth are making use of Plymouth's ice in the Wayzata Youth Hockey program, he said. Use of the ice is exceeding both the hours and revenue that were originally projected, said Eric Blank, director of parks and recreation. This site and its contents Copyright @ 2005. Sun Newspaperssm - Main Office: 952-392-6800 webinfo@mnsun.com - " Irspepars 11 Posted on Sat, Jan. 21, 2006 Lawmakers fight for road repair funds Budget decisions spur city -rural battle BY CHARLES LASZEWSKI Pioneer Press Geography ran thicker than party affiliation as several rural legislators from both parties blasted the state transportation department Friday for siphoning money that could help repair roads in their districts to repair more roads in the Twin Cities. "We are robbing St. Peter to pay St. Paul," said state Rep. Dan Dorman, an Albert Lea Republican. Dorman said that he thinks the burden of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's no new taxes pledge has fallen disproportionately on Greater Minnesota. State Sen. Steve Murphy of Red Wing and Rep. Al Juhnke of Willmar, both from the Democratic -Farmer -Labor Party, released a statement Friday critical of the Minnesota Department of Transportation's actions earlier this week to plug a $300 million hole in its budget for metropolitan road projects. The department borrowed $50 million from a Metropolitan Council committee and moved another $250 million within its own budget that could potentially have gone to outstate road projects. Friday's jousting is a preview of the city -rural battle that likely will spill over into the legislative session during debates surrounding the bonding bill, highway and mass transit funding bills and the proposed constitutional amendment to guarantee money from the motor vehicle sales tax for transit and highways. In addition, the transportation department is changing its formula for distributing federal dollars and Dorman and Juhnke are sure it will mean more money for the Twin Cities and less for rural areas. However, that change in formula and the shifting of budgets actually will provide outstate Minnesota with 54 percent of the new federal funds between this year and 2010 and 46 percent for the metropolitan area, said Robert McFarlin, assistant to the transportation commissioner. "To raise the metro -rural split on limited information is disappointing," McFarlin said. "We've made sure that no planned projects are deferred." Juhnke said he was recently at a meeting where one transportation division was trying to borrow money from a nearby division so a Minnesota 23 bypass around Paynesville could be finished. Other roads in his district need safety improvements, and some road projects in the northern part of Minnesota have federal money and are waiting for state matching funds, Juhnke said. Rep. Mary Liz Holberg, a Lakeville Republican and chairwoman of the transportation finance committee, said it was "understandable they would have those concerns" but said the metropolitan area has a crisis in safety and congestion on its roads. While Murphy, Dorman and Juhnke all lamented Pawlenty's veto of a bill to raise the gas tax 10 cents a gallon, Holberg said there is plenty of money in Minnesota's state budget without raising taxes. However, the state's top priorities are education and health care, rather than roads, and that has been true for years, regardless of who is governor, she said. Pawlenty is unlikely to agree to a gas -tax increase in an election year, she added, and she will be concentrating on changes to the proposed constitutional amendment so it guarantees at least 60 percent of the money to roads. Charles Laszewski can be reached at claszewski@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5458. ® 2006 St. Paul Pioneer Press and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved. hup://www.twincities.com ffriblunexom i MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA _...._ .,_ _ .. Last update: January 24, 2006 — 2:05 PM A surprise decision on Eagan golf course The City Council, set to approve a compromise on housing plans for the Carriage Hills course, voted it down after new facts surfaced. Shira Kantor, Star Tribune Two things happened in the days leading up to the Eagan City Council's decision to abruptly change course in its dealings with developer Terry Wensmann, who wants to build homes on a golf course. First, the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Mendota Heights in its lawsuit over a proposed golf course development. Second, council members learned that another Eagan golf course owner and developer had requested a land -use change to build houses. So the Eagan City Council voted unanimously last week against Wensmann's request to amend the city's comprehensive plan to allow for homes on Carriage Hills Golf Club. The decision means the city will appeal a Dakota County District Court ruling in a lawsuit brought by Wensmann and the golf course owner. The council had agreed in November to consider Wensmann's latest development proposal in a process that could have led to a settlement of the dispute. If the city loses, not only could the golf course be developed, but the comprehensive plan -- the city's main planning document -- could lose some of its force. "I just don't know," said council member Mike McGuire. "The fact of the matter is, we can't know. We're playing a really high stakes game of poker here." Golf course owner Ray Rahn and Wensmann Realty originally proposed building 480 housing units on the 120 -acre golf course south of Yankee Doodle Road and east of Lexington Avenue. The settlement agreement they pitched to the city had included similar designs, but with a nine -hole golf course. "Obviously, I'm disappointed," Wensmann said at the meeting last week. He would not comment further on the lawsuit or his plans. Dozens of residents who packed the City Council chambers on Jan. 17 gave the council a standing ovation after its vote. They had expressed concerns about traffic and limited open space in Eagan, and several expressed great surprise and relief. Council Member Peggy Carlson prefaced her vote by saying that she hadn't thought she would be voting against the settlement agreement, but "the fact that the Parkview Golf Course application came in Friday to go to residential pushed me over the edge.... I'll go the distance." Council member Cyndee Fields agreed, saying "this is not just about the two golf courses, but it's about the rest of Eagan." The developer on Tuesday withdrew the application to build 316 housing units on the 80 -acre Parkview Golf Course, the city said. In the Mendota Heights lawsuit -- which also involved a developer's request for a comprehensive plan change to accommodate housing on a golf course -- the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled that "a city has a rational basis to deny a proposed amendment to its comprehensive plan with respect to property currently used as a golf course when the city has a legitimate interest in reaffirming a historical comprehensive plan designation and in protecting open and recreational space." Eagan Mayor Pat Geagan said that he saw similarities in the Mendota Heights case that give Eagan "reason to view a possible outcome of our appeal differently than we did one month ago.' He cautioned, though, that a risk remains. In Eagan's case, the court will likely rule on whether the city has in effect and illegally "taken" the course from its owner by restricting development options, Geagan said. Shira Kantor • 612-673-7275 "mTribune. om MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA Last update: January 24, 2006 — 10:32 AM More take the bus from west suburbs It's getting harder to find a parking spot at local park-and-ride bus stops. Gas prices are a big reason. Ben Steverman, Star Tribune Commuters from the western suburbs are filling up buses and park-and-ride lots in record numbers. Transit officials say high gas prices were the main reason west -suburban bus ridership increased by double-digit percentages in 2005. And those commuters have stuck with the bus, especially for commutes to downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. "People who make the decision to try transit typically stick to that decision," said Bob Gibbons, Metro Transit's director of customer services. A few statistics demonstrate the jump in popularity: • Every October, transit planners count the number of cars parked at more than 150 park-and-ride lots in the Twin Cities. Usage of west -suburban commuter lots increased 13 percent in 2005. Several lots -- in Plymouth, Spring Park, Minnetonka and St. Louis Park -- were at or above their capacity. • Ridership in December on Metro Transit's express routes -- which are most popular among suburban commuters -- was up 11.4 percent compared with the previous year. • Plymouth, which operates its own bus service, reported a 9 percent increase in ridership for 2005. SouthWest Metro Transit, which serves Chaska, Chanhassen and Eden Prairie, reported a 10 percent increase in ridership in 2005. Gas prices really seemed to push commuters toward transit in the latter part of 2005. During the last five months of the year, Maple Grove Transit ridership was up 20 percent. Though recent increases in transit use in the western suburbs are unusually high, planners were already predicting a steady increase in transit use over the next couple of decades. Population growth, increased traffic congestion and higher prices to park downtown are all factors, according to Metro Transit planner Craig Lamothe. The 1-394 corridor is one area where transit use is growing fast. To meet demand, Plymouth is expected to open a new 280 -vehicle parking ramp this summer at Hwy. 55 and County Road 73. Metro Transit also is building a parking ramp to open later this year at Hwy. 394 and County Road 73. It will have 550 park-and- ride spaces. Even with these projects underway, the 1-394 corridor will need another 1,000 park-and-ride spaces by 2030, Lamothe said. Another area of rapid growth in transit use will undoubtedly be the northwest 1-94 corridor that runs through Maple Grove, Lamothe said. Mike Opatz, Maple Grove's transit administrator, said the Maple Grove Transit Station -- a 924 -stall parking ramp that was 77 percent full in a November count -- is filling up faster than predicted when it was opened two years ago. A check of license plates parked at the ramp showed many commuters coming from outside Maple Grove, especially Rogers, St. Michael and Albertville. SouthWest Station, the 901 -stall park-and-ride facility in Eden Prairie, was 98 percent full in an October survey. SouthWest Metro Transit also plans to create about 1,500 new park-and-ride spaces to coincide with the 2009 completion of the new Hwy. 212 through Chanhassen and Chaska. Riders' preference in park-and-ride lots is changing, Gibbons said. It used to be that commuters preferred smaller lots closer to their homes. However, during the last decade, transit customers started asking for larger transit facilities with more frequent bus service. "The trend is toward bigger lots so that we can offer more service," Gibbons said. Customers "want an array of departure times." BEN STEVERMAN • 612-673-7168 02006 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. ,94 1 by Dan Huffman Bile peryious anurctc pavement has t)CCn around for more than 30 years, it has only recently garnered much attention, due to increasingly stringent stormwater mana"cmcnt guidelines that noxv position the product as a SUStainahle building material. Pervious concrctc provides the potential htr environmentally responsible Site use and lowered CUnFti-UCtion costs in projects ramgin(1, from Simplc Sidewalks, driveways, and patios, to niaior prdcSUi;u� plazas and hill-hlo��•n multi -acre parking lots for national cf>nu»crcial hip(' hoX builders. PerviouS conu-cte has leen sprcificd aS payment in Florida fur more than ?U ycarS, carnia' a line record of durabilit% and high perforniamo.. Mill, the history of the material also I:noNcn as `no find c(mcrctc, Siretv_hcs even 42 The Construction Specifier Oo-u•mbr i 2005 further bad: abroad—suhstantial anxnnits wlerc produced in k,urope immediately f011owing the Sccond World War, sonic still in service today. Pervious concrctc is a perlon-nrrncc-engineered SU-uctural material using the usual constituents of auwentiunal Portland cement concrete, only with little or no sand in the mixture, allowim, liar a I to 10-perccnl air void factor. 'laking advantage of the coiresponding decreased dcnsity, the concrete is incrcdihly pernuable while still able to provide a structural pavement. In.tilald of moisture rain!SnoM mdu rtmning off the surface horizontally, \ irtuallV all SturmM,iter falling onto peryiouS concrctc iniiiwdiatck drains directly down ihrou"li the paN'cmcnt to the SiihIradc', climin.ltin;( runoll While proVidiny filhation and grnund \\'atc,- recharge. A peryiOM concrete Svstem can oto courtesy Concrete Promotion Council of Northern C. \ Photo ®Rob be designed with an appropriate porous aggregate base layer to function as a stormwater storage basin that accommodates precipitation for a design storm event. Pervious concrete is an open -cell material with an appearance sometimes described as that of a Rice Krispies' treat. Nevertheless, the product can be integrally colored, painted, or otherwise modified to be aesthetically in tune with the project environment in the same ways as conventional concrete. It can even be made acceptably smooth for good shopping cart mobility by the means of rapidly advancing placing techniques, equipment, and concrete mix design technology while still maintaining a non -slip surface for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) -compliance. c 2n'Olacaetlo'compzny At the University of California, Berkeley's botanical gardens entryway, pervious concrete (the darker material) provides functional drainage and highly complementary architectural design with conventional concrete. Site optimization and cost control Federal guidelines supporting the Clean Water Act have increasingly stimulated facility owners to consider pervious concrete, especially as it relates to commercial and light industrial construction. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Phase 11 regulations require owners of newly developed (or redeveloped) sites of 0.4 ha (1 acre) or more to have an on-site management system for treating all stormwater before it leaves for conveyance by the respective local agency. To do this, owners frequently find themselves dedicating 10 to 20 percent of the overall site to non - revenue -generating detention/retention ponds, swales, or other surface treatment devices. Their other option usually involves specifying potentially expensive underground Astra -Glaze -SW+' glazed masonry units and Verastone, recycled ground face masonry units are the logical choice for creating high-performance Green Buildings. Available in shapes, colors and sizes you won't find anywhere else, Astra -Glaze -SW+ glazed units offer the beauty of ceramic tile and the durability of concrete masonry. These graffiti, mold and moisture resistant units are USDA approved for sanitary environments. Ground to expose the variegated colors of the natural aggregates, Verastone provides uncompromising design and application flexibility. . Both Astra -Glaze -SW+ and Verastone units contain a significant amount of recycled content that may earn L.E.E.D.�' rating points for your building. Also available in a sound -absorbing option. Ask about our free acoustical analysis, For further information or to schedule an AIA accredited box lunch presentation, call 1-800-233-1924 or visit us at December 2005 The Construction Specifier 43 treatment systems—for big box builders, these can cost in the millions per project. As opposed to such heavy investment in space and/or stormwater treatment devices, by employing infiltration technology acceptable to EPA, pervious concrete pavement can be used as both a parking facility and the stormwater treatment system itself. Pervious concrete eliminates the runoff on the parking lot surfaces or other paved areas where it might be applied (c.g. sidewalks, plazas) and, via its filtering action, significantly improves the quality of the water passing through. Its use is a recommended Best Management Practice (BMP) of the EPA for first -flush pollution mitigation within the realm of stormwater management.' In early 2005, the designers of a light industrial facility project for a wood structural building component manufacturer in Westminster, Maryland, had an approximately 5 -ha (12 -acre) site, which included a 3.2 -ha (8 -acre) parking lot. Through the specification of pervious concrete for the entire lot, the 0.6 -ha (1.5 -acre) retention pond and underground drainage system were eliminated from the original design plans (which called for an asphalt parking lot), allowing the team to recover about 13 percent of the site. This move saved $400,000 in underground drainage construction costs alone. In the public sector, agencies devote huge financial resources to stormwater conveyance—where treatment is actually part of an agency's wastewater system, such facilities can be massive and extremely expensive. Additionally, a great deal of public inconvenience and traffic control problems can result from streets and roads torn up as ever-increasing storm sewers and drains (due to the large volume of runoff) are being deployed because of new development (or existing ones are in need of repair or replacement). As such, some government agencies have implemented stormwater impact fees on all impervious 44 The Construction Specifier December 2005 outdoor areas. Limiting the volume of stormwater runoff takes pressure off existing infrastructure, thereby saving taxpayer dollars and improving overall water quality. Environmental considerations The greatest concern about stormwater runoff from existing hardscape and continuing development relates to the amount of inadequately treated pollutants (mostly hydrocarbons) runoff carries with it into waterways, lakes, and oceans. Impervious parking lots, roadways, and rooftops cause more stormwater runoff and pollutant loads than any other type of land use. Not only are there concerns about the obvious chemical pollutants (often including the carcinogen, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon [PAH]) reaching the human food chain, but runoff has also been deemed a major contributor to thermal pollution caused by the effects of dark, impervious surfaces such as streets and roofs. According to EPA, runoff increases the ambient temperature of the stormwater such that it negatively affects the existence of vegetation, fish, and other aquatic life.3 The U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design' (LEED') rating system gives credit to the effective use of pervious concrete in Sustainable Sites (SS) Credit 6, Stormwater Management. Due to its potential to be used for slope protection, pervious concrete pavement could also have positive implications for SS Prerequisite 1, Erosion and Sedinicniation Control. Other environmentally responsible implications associated with the use of pervious concrete pavement are explored below. Water )<lirati0li As previously stated, a major positive attribute of pervious concrete paving is its exceptionally high porosity. "Then the material is designed with typical thicknesses and mix design constituents (as explored later in this article), and supported with an appropriate base design such that nothing beneath pavements. (This kind of infiltration can be particularly impedes the moisture's passage, its permeability rate exceeds useful in the dry Western United States, where there is a the needs of almost all natural events. With its void factor, strong desire to better use what little moisture falls to the pervious concrete handles moisture in excess of 5080 mm earth.) After water passes through this pavement, it can even (200 in.) of water hourly per 0.09 m'- (1 sf)—this translates be harvested for various uses including agriculture. to 11.4 to 19 L (3 to 5 gal) a minute. When rain or snow lands on pervious concrete, the Heat reflectivity and cold -weather advantages moisture goes directly through the pavement and into the Other benefits of using pervious concrete are similar to the ground in much the same way it would if there was no general environmental benefits of its conventional hardscape in the first place. In addition to improving the overall water quality Cowmen a � �ndvs�riai by reducing the amount of the pollutant-carrying�� 05, runoff, pervious concrete significantly improves the - - quality of the water that ll Lapeyre Stair now offers metal stair passes through it via the i systems for Commercial and Industrial applications. reduction of the negative •You'll save money. Since we handle effects of hydrocarbon -based i design as well as fabrication, you'll materials (e.g. grease, oil) dramatically reduce stair production costs. the first flush of stormwater r • You'll save time. Our streamlined would otherwise carry away. 1 process allows a standard lead time On a parking lot, there is a i of 3 weeks. large surface area that • No hassle. Why design a stair from comprises a matrix of small scratch when we can do it for you— coarse aggregate by which I quickly and cost-effectively? the pervious concrete • Code compliance: complies with OSHA, captures and aerobically ! BOCA, ADA, IBC and other regulations. degrades the hydrocarbon residue passing through I fled Mirg while the pollutants are �tiin further converted by the attached microbial growth.�� r.:f • Greater projected tread depth permits comfortable, The sun also boils off face forward descent. volatile components within. the matrix of the open- # • Narrow handrails allow small items to be easily celled concrete, and the�� `, carried up or down the stair. remaining carbon is then •Cushioned central stringer reduces the absorbed by the native soil possibility of hitting the nosing of a tread. o where it is digested by �._ • Meets OSHA standards. I a Plants, fungi, or microbes. • Safer than ship's ladders or vertical ladders. a Trees almost always \ • Custom built to your height requirements; o flourish in the presence of 1all we need from you is the vertical height pervious concrete. The l measurement. natural infiltration process o 3 allows both moisture and • 3 oxygen to reach the roots of Y0 La AWN " ��. '- ` ��4il` a trees in a way usually limited by conventions] o December 2005 The Construction Specifier 45 Pedestrian safety at Portland's Oregon Zoo is increased with pervious concrete walkways providing a non -slip sur face in all weather conditions without supplemental drainage. counterpart. With plain gray portland cement as its aggregate binder, concrete has a significant reflectivity advantage over asphaltic products, which are usually very dark in color. Concrete has much higher albedo, which contributes to its ability to earn points within LEED relative to heat island mitigation (SS Credit 7, Heat Island Effect). It also offers the potential for lowering the number of light poles in various night illumination environments, saving both money and energy. In addition to its reflectance benefits, pervious concrete's high void factor and lower density means it absorbs less solar heat and cools more rapidly in hot environments. In cold weather, anecdotal evidence suggests both snow and ice more rapidly leave the surface of pervious concrete than traditional pavements because the moisture has pathways to drain dorm immediately upon melting. Additionally, since there is no ponding of moisture, there is not the same propensity for re -freezing as with conventional pavements. In some parts of the country, the dynamics of dealing with traditional non -porous pavement are increasingly costly for owners as taxes and levies are applied in an attempt to limit impervious surfaces. As communities seek the means of compliance with the EPA Phase II stormwater regulations, mandatory applications of pervious surface solutions should be expected to increase. Location concerns Design considerations for pervious concrete immediately focus on the qualities of the native soil over which it is to be placed. For every sizable or otherwise important project, a 46 The Construction Specifier December 2005 Vibratory screeds are fregrrcntly used in the placement of pervious concrete, such as in this Denver, Colorado, Safeway supermarket project. geotechnical evaluation is highly recommended. Where expansive soils are known to exist, strategies should be approached with extreme caution. Nevertheless, the vast majority of potential sites in the United States and Canada should be good environments for the effective use of pervious concrete. In areas of high clay content, should the percolation rate be suitable for septic tank systems, it also should be acceptable for pervious concrete. The design of the aggregate base, an area sometimes also referred to as the `recharge bed,' is very critical to pervious concrete performance and durability. Directly beneath the slab, this section ensures moisture flows unimpeded though the pavement. It stores the water and allows it to percolate over time into the subgrade. (When necessity dictates, it could also be engineered to move water laterally and dispensed otherwise.) However, in Florida, where the percolation rate of the sandy native soil is quite high, pervious concrete placement directly atop the soil is very common—and supported by more than 20 years of performance. In all cases, the percolation of the soils combined with infiltration rate dynamics is critical, especially in areas where freeze -thaw durability is a concern. The factors determining the design thickness of pervious concrete include its desired hydraulic (e.g. permeability and voids content) and mechanical properties (e.g. strength and stiffness). ']'he material needs to complement the site-specific stormwater management strategy, the intended traffic loads, and other considerations, such as the amount of rainfall, pavement characteristics, underlying soil properties, tolerable intensity of surface runoff, and rate of infiltration. Typically, retail -focused parking lots are designed with 152 -mm (6 -in.) sections of pervious concrete, as opposed to the 102 min (4 in.) thicknesses most commonly used for conventional concrete lots. Due to pervious concrete's decreased density (resulting from its high air void factor), the simple design mechanism of increasing the slab thickness by 50 percent (conventional to pervious) has proven highly successful in practice. On a national basis, 152 min of pervious concrete on 152- to 203 -mm (6- to 8 -in.) aggregate base is the most commonly used equation for parking lots. With pervious concrete, the use of a flat -grade design otherwise following the contour of the land is all that is necessary—since there is no runoff, there is no reason to grade it.' Successful placements have taken place in California on as much as a 16 -percent grade, but in such cases, concerns about the performance of the recharge bed have to be taken into consideration. One of the characteristics of most high-quality pervious concrete is that the material is made with extremely low water -to - cement (W/C) ratios (typically 0.25 to 0.35). Due to the very low W/C ratio and the way the aggregate interlock takes place, the shrinkage of pervious concrete is so greatly reduced that jointing intervals of every 6 in (20 ft) are common in many parts of .the country. (In California, a substantial amount has even been placed with joint spacing greatly exceeding 6 m.) Material considerations In cold -weather climates subject to freeze -thaw cycling, cement paste in pervious concrete should be treated with air -entraining admixtures as is the case for the material's conventional counterpart. While its 15- to 30 -percent air void factor also allows for expansion of frozen moisture, it is still critical to the integrity of the slab that it should not be totally saturated under freeze -thaw conditions. Whether durability issues come into play, typical thicknesses for the granular base are 150 to 300 mm (6 to 12 in.) with a material such as #57 stone (with a 40 -percent void factor). A complementary and adequate aggregate base design is perhaps the most critical element in pervious concrete's freeze -thaw durability after its ability to transfer moisture through the concrete's own expected porosity. Pervious concrete mix designs vary broadly around the country. In most regions, rich cementitious mixes using 272 kg (600 lb) of cement and more per cubic yard are frequent. Smaller coarse aggregate sizes such as 9.5 -mm (0.4 -in.) rounded pea gravel are most common, but crushed materials and larger dimensions are sometimes also used.' Contrary to traditional concrete (where larger sizes and angular -shaped aggregate materials frequently provide the best performance) smaller aggregate and rounded shapes appear to not only provide the best porosity for pervious concrete, but also better strength, smoothness, and appearance characteristics. In addition to conventional concrete admixtures, some of the hydration -stabilizing and viscosity -modifying admixtures increasingly used in conventional concreting can be selectively employed in pervious concrete, along with the same integral coloring, various fibers, and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), such as fly ash and slag. As of this writing, most of the quality pervious concrete in the country is being placed at, or less than, a 13 -mm (0.5 -in.) Tremco has the answer. 'r Some jobs just need to get done fast. Without odor. And, be ready for traffic within 24 hours of application of the topcoat. f Vulkeme 360NF/950NF/951NF Deck Coating System is specially formulated for the most demanding jobs. Vulkem 360NF basecoat can be applied to any thickness required to restore surfaces. Then Vulkem 950NF/951 NF polyurethane topcoats finish the job with j a hardness that is nothing less than incredible. ' If you need a tough deck coating system that can restore 100,000 square feet of parking j deck over a weekend and be ready for traffic, call Tremco at 800-852-5774. We've built a reputation for developing better ways to get the job done. 4 9rM1" kE is..%fir .'s i`� —a a-7. December 2005 The Construction Specifier 47 By allowing moisture to f lter through into groundwater, the Rice Krispie-like structure of pervious concrete helps reduce the environmental problems of stOl'InWater runoff. slump due to the extremely low W/C ratios required for acceptable strength, porosity, and durability. With the progress in admixture technology increasingly focused on pervious concrete, the ability to increase the slump (a measure of the concrete consistency, which affects placeability) is likely in the near future. Practical use Parking lot construction is usually accomplished with `strip placements: After proper compaction of the native soil, a geotextile fabric is usually placed to protect against fines migrating up into the aggregate base. The aggregate base (recharge bed) is placed and compacted and then the ready - mixed concrete is placed, spread and leveled with various types of vibratory screeds or friction tubes. This is followed by some form of surface rolling process designed to compact approximately the top 13 mm (0.5 in.) of the surface, adding increased consolidation and satisfactory smoothness.' \'cry soon after pervious concrete is placed, the joints should be cut—most often, these are tooled joints cut with a modified rolling device within minutes behind the final rolling process. The method of curing pervious concretC is a seven-day wet cure, and attention to this process cannot be over -emphasized. When this type of porous, extremely low-W/C-ratio concrete does not get proper curing, its performance rapidly deteriorates under normal use. As a generalization, the amount of labor devoted to properly placing pervious concrete can actually be less than that of its conventional counterpart. However, the contractor's judgment and adherence to the basics of good concreting (along with an awareness of the particular mixture's appropriate water content as placed that comes only with experience) is more critical to the success of pervious concrete placement and in-service performance than is the case of more conventional products. In response to the need for a larger group of quality contractors to meet the rapidly expanding demand, the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) has begun rolling out a national pervious concrete contractor certification program. The initiative aims to train, test, and certify qualified installers and other individuals wanting to better understand the technology. the American; Concrete Institute's (ACPs) Board,Advisory, Committee ,on Sustainable Development (AC -SD) and the ACI 522 echrucal committee on pervious concrete. , Anffman rari lip Mntar O via ' '` a=mail at' 48 The Construction Specifier December 2005 g, The program is being sponsored on both the state and local levels by the respective state ready -mixed concrete associations, American Concrete Institute (ACI) chapters, and some contractor organizations. Acknowledgements This author thanks the following people for help with drafting this article: Colin Lobo, Ph.D., PE, Matt Offenberg, PE, and Frank Cavaliere. Notes ' About 90 percent of pollutants— mostly hydrocarbons contributed by grease and oil by motor vehicles—on parking areas get carried away by runoff during the first 38 mm (1.5 in.) of any rain event, described by stormwater experts as the `first flush: First -flush pollution mitigation is one of pervious concrete's most pronounced benefits. For more information, visit www.stormwatercenter.net. '- Visit.www.nrcd.org/water/ pollution/storm/execsum.asp. s See EPA 841-F-03-003, Protecting Water Quality from Urban Runoff. 4 When pervious concrete is properly designed and placed, its performance capability far exceeds normal maximums—it handles in excess of 5080 mm (200 in.) of hourly rain per 0.09 m- (1 sf). In many cases, runoff from roofs and other hardscapes can be designed to flow onto pervious concrete sections. However, adjacent vegetative/soil areas can be problematic as they could release organics and other particulate matter contributing to clogging. "3/8" is exact U.S. designation per sieves. ' Ride -on slip -form pavers are beginning to appear as projects are lnci-casing in size, but the vast majority of wort: is still done with the screeds and rollers described. .1, 2006 AIV The 50th Annual Show" Convention Opening General Session Building Information Model Wednesday March .29, 2006 MGM Grand Hotel,L.as Vegas, NV SPEAKERS? Frank Gehry, FAIA James Glymph, FAIA, Partner, Gehry Technologies Dennis Shelden, Chief Technology OfFcer, Gehry Technologies Building Information Models (BIM) give designers a faster, richer design process, contractors projects with fewer surprises, owners more budget control through predictions about the project's construction process and its predicted maintenance costs, and facility managers a tool to meet current tenant needs and plan for the future, and to conduct maintenance or renovation in a preventative, rather than reactive, way. Architect Frank Gehry, FAIA, and two of his colleagues James Glymph, FAIA and Dennis R. Shelden will discuss Building Information Models (BIMs) during the Opening General Session of The 50th Annual CSI ShowT11 & Convention. The Construction Specifications Institute 99 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 300 ♦ Alexandria, VA 22314 800-689-2900 (option 1 ) ♦ www.thecsizhow.com December 2005 The Construction Specifier 49 � Q4P�MEN70Fy0 � resea r � G � ed 9BgN DE�f � A bride linkin;_ housing research and prac n 1991, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development report, "Not In My Back Yard": Removing Barriers to Affordable Housing, focused national attention on a prevalent attitude against affordable housing—a view known as NIMBYism, or "Not In My Backyard." This year, HUD updated that report and concluded that, despite Borne reforms, "NIMBYism continues to prompt the implementation of regulatory barriers that pose major obstacles to rental housing, high-density development, and other types of affordable housing." Because public opinion exerts a powerful force in shaping public policy, researchers are currently dissect- ing the public's views on affordable housing issues. Our efforts to discern'the public's underlying concerns and motivations provide valuable information that can help satisfy public concerns and meet the housing needs of moderate- and low-income families. contents Targeting Community Development Need HUD Partners in Initiative to Reduce Energy Costs Housing Wealth May be Total Wealth for Low -Income Families U.S. DePaninunl of Houamg antl Urban Dmelopmenl .11—nl Policy Develoumenl ana N Why not in your neighborhood? Affordable housing takes many shapes. To that end, The Campaign for Affordable Housing, a national nonprofit group that addresses commu- nity opposition to affordable housing, collected and reviewed public opinion research conducted between the late 1990s and 2003 that pertains to affordable housing. The review tells two compelling stories that stand in opposition to one another. One is that basic American values inspire positive attitudes about affordable, housing, framed by core beliefs in fairness and equal opportunity. The other consists of fears about the negative effects of affordable housing on people's own security and sense of well-being. The public recognizes the need for affordable housing, but is less aware of its shortage. When asked to rate the salience of problems in their own community, opinion poll respondents rank the need for affordable homes for low- and moderate -income families second only to healthcare and employment. Recently, when asked about the extent of the afford- able housing problem in their own area, only about 40 percent of a national sample perceived it as a big problem. If survey questions are specific about who encounters difficulties in finding affordable housing, however, much larger majorities acknowledge it is a problem for low- and moderate -income families, seniors, working-class families, and families with children. Indeed, the impact of insufficient affordable The Public's View of Affordable Housing continued from page housing on children and families causes the greatest concern. Three-fourths of respondents to a recent Fannie Mae Foundation survey were concerned that families must spend so much income on housing that they struggle to meet other expenses and cannot save for retirement or their children's education. There is broad consensus that the government should see that everyone has access to decent and affordable housing. In 2002, two-thirds of survey participants told the Fannie Mae Foundation that local government should be involved in affordable housing solutions and 59 percent felt that the federal government has a role. In the past two years, large majorities of registered voters have told pollsters they want the government to ensure the availability of affordable housing and a decent standard of living for everyone. This year, 68 percent of those surveyed by the National Association of Realtors° (NAR) agreed that government should "place a higher priority on making housing—both for renters and homeowners—more affordable in my area." Such attitudes are consistent with basic American values regarding fairness and equal opportunity, and yet resistance appears as affordable housing comes closer to one's own home. This is illustrated by responses to questions posed by an NAR poll con- ducted in 2004, which found that 76 percent would support more affordable homes for purchase or rent in "my community." But when the location changed to "my neighborhood," "on my street," and "next door," affirmative responses declined to 72 percent, 66 percent, and 63 percent, respectively. Research has identified some of the things that worry people about affordable housing, depending on what it means to them. An analysis conducted by The Campaign for Affordable Housing found a lack of uni- versal meaning. In one survey, the term is associated with "public housing, architectural and community blight, and low-income to no -income populations." Another group surveyed saw it as synonymous with terms ranging from "average income" and "affordable apartment" to "low income" and "welfare." In yet another survey, 80 percent viewed affordable housing as good for the community, while only 68 percent thought "housing for moderate- and low-income people" was good for the community. Large majorities of those interviewed by the NAR in May 2005 told us what would satisfy their concerns about affordable housing next door: "I would be willing to support more affordable homes being made available for people to purchase or rent in my area if they were... — built in such a way that they fit with the area and were pleasant to look at." (810/6) — made available and affordable to teachers, firemen, police and other people who we rely on for help." (76%) "I would support building more affordable homes in and around my community if... — I were sure it would not hurt property values." (80%) — it would help my property tax situation." (73%) — it made more efficient use of tax dollars for public services like water, sewer, streets, police and fire protection." (82%) — 1 were sure that it would not contribute to school overcrowding." (75%) — I were sure it would not make traffic worse." (74%) Surveys also reveal strong preferences for owner - inhabited affordable housing and for detached single- family housing, rather than townhomes, condos, or apartments. This is important information for policymakers, devel- opers, builders, local governments, and affordable housing advocates. The Housing Assistance Council devoted a recent issue of its magazine, Rural Voices (Spring 2005), to how such feedback is used con- structively in crafting an affordable housing market- ing strategy. A leading example is the Fannie Mae Foundation's public information campaign, which educates, reframes issues in positive terms, and focuses on universally shared hopes. The campaign educates as to what the research says about the effects of affordable housing on crime or property values. Campaign messages emphasize fairness and equal opportunity, healthy families, neighborly values, flourishing communities, widespread prosperity— positive terms that resonate with people's shared values and hopes. The ultimate message is that by helping families, communities enjoy greater social stability and economic vitality. In another example, the Minnesota Housing Partnership sponsors a statewide public relations campaign to disperse the cloud of negative perceptions IresearchWorks � continued on page 5 HOP Partners in Initiative to Reduce Energy Costs continued from page 4 ranging Nergy Action Plan to reduce the estimated $4 billion a ual utility bill of the nation's affordable housing stock. D's action strategies include: ■ Extending the En y StarO approval label to appliances and new derally assisted affordable housing; ■ Streamlining energy performa e contracting in public housing, an energy-saving of that enables housing authorities to secure private 'nancing and expertise to pay for and install energy -e 'cient measures; ■ Promoting the adoption of the Energy Star® label-, in new construction and substantial rehabilita- tion projects funded through HOME, Community Development Block Grants, HOPE VI, and Sectio 202/811 housing for seniors and disabled per ns; ■ Lowering the cost of homeownershipXw�ich xpanding the use of Energy Efficient Mortga� allow Federal Housing Administration mebuyers to borrow up to $8,000 more to ay for energy- efficient home iZprots.;gand ■ Proving informin,and resources on the benefits ofency and related cost- effective buXing and rehabilitation techniques Consiste with HUD's support of the Partnership for Wancing Technology in Housing (PATH), the oartment is committed to four activities in implementing the Roadmap for Energy iWciency in Existing Homes. These involve a mutt ear project to develop voluntary protocols for 'ear remodeling, with significant in t from remodelers, energy specialists, consum and existing home performance practitione . In addition, and in tandem with EPA and DOE, H supports the creation of an industry-recogniz contractor certification and cre- dentialing pro am for energy efficiency. HUD will also ask for pr� sals to develop and pilot test a standard for retr fitting package for specific housing types in part' lar local markets (for more information, see the �IeD Small Business Forecast at www.hud.gov/offices/ osdbu/4cast.cfm). Finally, PATH will continue to support both the field testing of energy-efficient home r odeling and cooperative research into energy- efficibR,t technologies for retrofitting existing homes. The Partne'�skips for Home Energy Efficiency's website, www.energysa s.gov, offers a single portal to federal programs a information regarding home energy efficiency. This s' includes special pages for homeowners, contractors an uilders, building man- agers, real estate professionals, a state agencies, each with clear introductory informa and links to further details. HUD has also issued a Noti describ- ing the benefits of Energy Star in public housi to all housing authorities. The Notice can be found at www.hud.gov/offices/pih/publications/notices/05/ pih2005-25.pdf. FI.1 The Public's View of Affordable Housing continued from page 2 surrounding affordable housing. The basic messages campaign has helped win zoning approvals, obtain promoted by the campaign are: funds for housing, and has made the shortage of ■ Those who need affordable housing are important to us and to our community. ■ Those living in safe, affordable housing are better able to take responsibility for themselves and to raise their children to become productive citizens. ■ Our community will be stronger if it adequately meets the housing needs of its workforce. These messages appear on billboards, buses, in bro- chures, radio ads, and local newspapers. Ads feature people likely to need affordable housing, such as a nurse caring for an elderly man under the caption, "If she can't afford a place to live, she can't afford to care for your dad," or the mechanic who "can't keep you running" without affordable housing. The affordable housing highly visible. To find more about public opinion and marketing affordable housing, see "Why Not In Our Community?" Removing Barriers to Affordable Housing at www. huduser.org/Publications/pdf/wnioc.pdf or request a copy for a small fee from HUD USER at 800.245.2691. Also of interest is the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania's Affordable Housing Development: A Fair Housing Toolkit, which you'll find at content. knowledgeplex.org/kp2/cache/documents/ 68549.pdf; Rural Voices (Spring 2005) at www. ruralhome.org/manager/uploads/VoicesSpring2005. pdf; and the Housing Minnesota website at www. HousingMinnesota.org. 1.1.1 5 DECEMBER/JANUARY 06 MEMO CITY OF PLYMOUTH 3400 PLYMOUTH BOULEVARD, PLYMOUTH, MN 55447 DATE: January 20, 2006 TO: Plymouth City Council FROM: Diane Evans, Park and Recreation Plan Team Leader Barbara Senness, Transportation Plan Team Leader SUBJECT: Bicycle Roundtable Based on comments from last fall's comprehensive plan open houses and workshops as well as direct input from local bicycle enthusiasts, staff has scheduled a bicycle roundtable on February 22 at 6:30 pm at Plymouth Creek Center. The meeting is a research effort to obtain feedback from serious bicyclists about the need for on -road bicycle routes. As we update the parks and transportation plans, we see this focus group - type approach as an efficient method to gain data on biking issues. Because of the research nature of the meeting, we are not expecting Council members to attend. On -road biking is an area of growing interest for bicyclists interested in commuting to work or exercising. It is distinctly different from the City's off-road trails, which are oriented toward casual recreation use. On -road biking is an issue that affects the entire city and will be considered in the overall plan update. However, it may be of heightened interest right now in Northwest Plymouth with the land use planning efforts that are underway. While we hope to capitalize on that interest to gain more feedback, this effort is distinctly separate from the land use planning effort. In contrast, it is directly related to the transportation plan which will address the future upgrading of major roads throughout the city, notably the extension of Peony Lane and the future upgrading of Vicksburg Lane and County Road 47 as well as the parks plan which will address how bicyclists and pedestrians move throughout the community. A copy of the meeting agenda is attached. Staff hopes to reach the serious bicyclists in Plymouth. We have placed a notice about the roundtable on the web site and in Plymouth News. In addition, there are notices in area bike shops, and staff is contacting local Plymouth biking groups. Following the meeting, we will summarize what we have learned and forward a report to the Council and the Planning Commission. We also expect to put the report on the website. Attachment: Bicycle Roundtable Agenda 33 AGENDA Bicyclist Roundtable Comprehensive Plan Update Parks & Transportation Teams Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Location: Plymouth Creek Center 1. Comprehensive Plan Overview 2. Plymouth Trail & Sidewalk Plan review • Current trails and bike routes • Proposed plan 3. Hennepin County Trail & Bicycle Plan (Greg Anderson) • County wide trail and bike routes • Standards 4. Bike Map exercise • Identify on the map where you ride now • Identify on map where you like to ride in the future (on or off road) 5. Questions & comments Committee Members: D. Evans; E. Blank; M. Peterson; P. Bank; B. Senness; M. Darling; J. Noelting; D. Asche -3 -! MEMO CITY OF PLYMOUTH , 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 DATE: January 20, 2006 TO: Mayor and City Council through Laurie Ahrens, City Manager FROM: VV -an Cote, P.E., Director of Public Works SUBJECT: MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS UPDATE The purpose of this memorandum is to follow-up on the discussion from the January 17, 2006 Special City Council meeting regarding major infrastructure projects. Lancaster Lift Station: Project is 100% complete. We have been experiencing the coagulation of floatables and solids in the wet well which had not previously occurred. The City's consultant is examining the situation and has proposed a possible solution. Staff is working with the consultant to determine which party is responsible implementing the solution. Bass Lake Lift Station: Project is approximately 50% complete and on schedule. The temporary bypass of the sewer line into the lift station will occur beginning in February, 2006. This bypass will obstruct access across the frozen lagoon. Some residents have expressed concerns that the lift station structures are much larger than they had anticipated when the project was being presented. Zachary Water Treatment Plant: Project is approximately 70% complete, however, the physical aspects of the project are nearly 90% complete. The plant is not frilly operational or proven. Water production will be temporarily halted on January 30, 2006, to complete the expansion of the plant. The plant should be fully operational by the end of March, 2006. Central Water Treatment Plant: Project is approximately 95% complete. Water production was initiated in December, 2005, but was not considered successful until semi-automatic operation occurred in January, 2006. The plant was put into full operation with the Zachary Water Treatment Plant put in backup mode to prove the operation from January 18, 2006, until January 30, 2006. The plant operated successfully overnight for the first time on January 18/19, 2006. Some flooding of the plant has occurred during backwash operations. The City's consultant is examining the situation and has proposed a possible solution. Staff is working with the consultant to determine which party is responsible for implementing the solution. Vicksburg Reservoir and Pumping, Station: Project is approximately 60% complete, however, the physical aspects of the project are nearly 80% complete. The reservoir and pumping station are not fully operational or proven. The reservoir was partially filled in December, 2005, for structural reasons. The reservoir and pumping station should be fully operational by April, 2006. 35 0\Engineering\GENERAL\NIGSIOS\DORAM2006\Infrasuuc[aur_Proj_Updates_ 1.20 duc MEMO CITY OF PLYMOUTH 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 DATE: January 23, 2006 TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Bernie Maciej, Transit Coordinator SUBJECT: TRANSIT RIDERSHIP AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2005 Attached are the ridership graphs for Plymouth Metrolink for the period ending December 31, 2005. • Total ridership through December 31, 2005 was 472,513 one-way rides, up by 8.8% over the same period in 2004. • Express ridership (to and from downtown) is up by 9.6% over the same period last year. • Dial -A -Ride has a ridership increase of 3.7% compared to the same period last year. Plymouth Metrolink has continued to show strong ridership growth this year despite the fare increase imposed earlier this year in the region and the minor service reductions the City put into place in September. The fare increases and the service reductions allowed Plymouth Metrolink to operate within the 2005 operating budget and maintain the current transit fund balance. 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Q lC .a CV LL C �: lC 7 OO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O OLK ' xi r s1 d0 M M N N 4n -- (fl O O N M N N Q ,a1 MEMO CITY OF PLYMOUTH 3400 Plymouth Boulevard Plymouth, MN 55447 DATE: January 23, 2006 TO: Laurie Ahrens, City Manager FROM: Ross Beckwith, P.E., Assistant City Engineer SUBJECT: 2006 MILL AND OVERLAY ELIMINATING CAMPUS DRIVE CP 6106 The Capital Improvements Program (CIP) designated Pineview Lane, Campus Drive and two intersections to be milled and overlaid in 2006. The portion of Pineview Lane to be milled and overlaid was from Schmidt Lake Road to Northwest Boulevard. Campus Drive was to be milled and overlaid from Xenium Lane to Northwest Boulevard, as were the intersections of Schmidt Lake Road at Fernbrook Lane, and Schmidt Lake Road at Northwest Boulevard. Engineering and Public Works staff recently re -inspected the pavement conditions of these roadways. The pavement condition of Campus drive is worse than anticipated, and is past the point where it would benefit from a mill and overlay. The center of the roadway does not have crown in it and the water tends to pool in the roadway, causing the pavement to deteriorate rapidly. A mill and overlay would not increase the crown in the road as it removes and replaces a uniform top layer of asphalt. It is therefore proposed that Campus Drive be given a temporary overlay instead. A temporary overlay involves milling only a 4' wide section along the existing curb, and then applying 1.5" of asphalt over the entire street, adding crown back to the roadway. Campus Drive is ultimately in need of subgrade corrections, due to poor underlying soils, but a temporary overlay will add life by getting the surface water off the street and providing a smoother driving surface until a reconstruction can be perforined. Eliminating Campus Drive as a mill and overlay candidate allows for additional pavement to be included in the mill and overlay project. This is fortunate for the two intersections of Schmidt Lake Road already included in the project. The extensiveness of repair needed at these intersections has significantly increased with the unusual freeze/thaw this January. The pavement failures on Schmidt Lake Road are surface failures, not subgrade failures, and will therefore benefit greatly from a mill and overlay. 4<) O:, higineering. PROJECTS 2000 - 2009 6106 Memos Memo 1 oLamric. 6106.d0c The Preliminary Engineering Report for the 2006 Mill and Overlay Project will be sent to the February 7, 2006 City Council meeting, and will recommend Pineview Lane and areas of Schmidt Lake Road at the intersections of Fernbrook Lane and Northwest Boulevard. Providing the right type of pavement treatment to a particular street is an important part of the overall pavement management program. Switching Campus drive out of the Mill and Overlay and into the Temporary Overlay Project, and increasing the amount of Schmidt Lake Road being milled and overlaid is the best allocation of our pavement funds. cc: Doran Cote, P.E., Director of Public Works 1 0 higinccring:PRO.ICC"I:5 2000 - 2009 6106 Memos Me of oknn ie_ 6106.doc YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 9, 2006 7:00 PM PLYMOUTH CREEK CENTER Council Members Present Absent Kristen Letich X Mark McKee X Patrick Heffner X Anne Gottwalt X Christopher Fei X Heather Gaudette X Aneesh Sohoni X Lindsey Beste X Anna Berg X Trevor Haag X Neha Singh X Two Benilde High School students, Megan and Caitlyn attended, to report back to a class on local government. Chief Mike Goldstein and Deputy City Clerk Kurt Hoffman were also present. Aneesh called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM. Presentations: Chief Goldstein spoke to the group about traffic issues near the entrance to Wayzata High School on Peony Lane. He said problems are a greater problem now near the intersection of Holly Lane and Old Rockford Road, where students must make a left turn and cross two lanes of traffic to approach the High School campus from the west. He added that more students approach the school from Highway 55. He said the greatest issue for students is to understand the consequences of bad driving. He invited the Youth Council to discuss ways to promote safe driving. The Council agreed to put it on the agenda for the January 23 meeting. Approvals: a) Kristin made a motion, seconded by Heather, to approve the agenda. The motion passed in a unanimous voice vote. b) Aneesh made a motion, seconded by Anna, to adopt the minutes of the December 19 meeting. The motion passed in a unanimous voice vote. Council Update: Kurt gave an update on issues under discussion by the City Council. Special Items: a) Service Awards program plans Council members signed letters to representatives of banks and realty offices, soliciting donations for award money, and expressing an interest in meeting personally with the 47— Youth Advisory Council January 9, 2006 Meeting Page 2 representatives to discuss the donations. They agreed to follow up on individual calls following the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. b) Youth Leadership program plans Council Members signed letters inviting speakers to the Youth Leadership Conference on March 6. c) Intergenerational activities Anna, Anne, and Kristin signed up to attend the February 25 roundtable discussion. Heather reported that Senior Coordinator Sara Mittelstaedt has also found a group of seniors interested in teaching knitting to students. Adjournment Heather made a motion, seconded by Anna, to adjourn the meeting at 8:00 PM. The motion passed in a unanimous voice vote. 43 MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SUBURBAN RATE AUTHORITY January 18, 2006 Pursuant to due call and notice, the annual meeting of the Suburban Rate Authority was held at the Roseville City Hall, 2660 Civic Center Drive, Roseville, Minnesota on January 18, 2006 commencing at 11:30 a.m. 1. CALL TO ORDER: Executive Committee Chair, Gene Dietz, called the meeting to order and roll call was taken. 2. ROLL CALL: Bloomington Bob Cockriel Brooklyn Park Diane Deblon Circle Pines Jim Keinath Columbia Heights Bruce Nawrocki Eden Prairie Gene Dietz Edina John Wallin Golden Valley Jeannine Clancy Lauderdale Brian Bakken -Heck Maplewood Diana Longrie Minnetonka Desyl Peterson Mound Pat Meisel Oakdale Brian Bachmeier Plymouth Jim Willis Robbinsdale Richard McCoy Roseville Duane Schwartz Shoreview Terry Schwerin Woodbury Clinton Gridley Also present were legal counsel for the SRA, Jim Strommen, Bryan Shirley, and Bob Vose of Kennedy and Graven. The SRA's guest was State Senator Ellen Anderson of St. Paul's District 66. A quorum of votes was present. 3. COMMENTS OF SENATOR ANDERSON: Mr. Strommen introduced the SRA's guest, Senator Ellen Anderson. Ms. Anderson has been a State Senator since 1992 and is the chair of the Jobs, Energy, and Community Development Committee. This Committee hears legislation on gas, electric, and telecom matters of interest to the SRA. Ms. Anderson described her role as a senator and interest in the utility issues that come before her Committee. She emphasized that input from end-user groups such as the SRA is very important to her. She observed that utility legislation often is dominated by industry groups and the consumer/end-user perspective is necessary for balance. JMS-274361 vl SU 160-3 41A An interesting Q & A period followed, and both Senator Anderson and SRA delegates pledged to keep the communication lines open on the matters of mutual interest. 4. APPROVAL OF OCTOBER MEETING MINUTES: Ms. Peterson moved to approve the October 2005 quarterly meeting. Mr. Willis seconded the motion which passed unanimously. 5. REPORT OF OFFICERS. Mr. Wallin gave a report on the current financial status of the SRA and circulated the year-end financial statement. He reported that Kennedy & Graven has deferred its claims until assessments are made for 2006, which Mr. Strommen noted will probably true -up the SRA balance sheet at the October 2006 meeting. Mr. Cockriel moved to accept the Treasurer's report. Mr. Keinath seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. 6. ELECTION OF OFFICERS: Ms. Peterson moved to elect the following slate of Executive Committee members. Mr. Willis seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Gene Dietz — Chair Bob Cockriel — Vice Chair John Wallin — Treasurer Bruce Nawrocki Diane Deblon Richard McCoy Brian Bachmeier 7. COMMUNICATIONS: Mr. Strommen reported that the City of New Brighton had informed him earlier in January that it had decided not to continue its membership in the SRA. The City's intention was to terminate the membership as of January 1, 2006. Mr. Strommen has communicated with the City regarding the requirement of withdrawal notice prior to June 15, 2005, for the year 2006. The Board affirmed the requirement in the joint powers agreement and policy of the SRA that if notice is not given during the budgeting process, it is effective for the following year. In this case, the notice would be effective for 2007. Mr. Strommen will communicate this to the City and ask if he can appear before the City Council and reiterate the value of SRA membership for possible Council reconsideration. 8. XCEL RATE CASE: Mr. Strommen reported on the status of the Xcel Rate Case filed on November 1, 2005. The matter is moving into the public hearing and evidentiary hearing phases. Two significant issues have surfaced for SRA cities as municipalities. The first is the proposed increases in the municipal pumping rates relative to historic levels. The second is street lighting rate increase requests and service quality issues noted in several SRA cities. Mr. Strommen emphasized that these two issues are ones that will require testimony from city staff familiar with the respective operations at issue. Mr. Shirley and Mr. Strommen will be contacting SRA delegates or member staff for information and possible written and filed testimony on these issues. The testimony deadline is March 2, 2006. Ms. Peterson moved to authorize counsel to pursue these issues. Ms. Clancy seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. JMS-27436 I v l 2 SU 1 G0-3 4! 9. CENTERPOINT ENERGY RATE CASE. Mr. Strommen reported that the CenterPoint rate case is proceeding concurrently with the Xcel case. Unlike Xcel, CenterPoint recently concluded a rate case based on settled terms, including the SRA's involvement and reduction in the customer charge. Mr. Strommen and Mr. Shirley reported that the case does not have new issues or significant issues as have previous CenterPoint cases. The proposed residential customer charge increase is from $6.50 to $8.00, a further incremental shifting of the fixed versus usage charge. Mr. Strommen recommended that given the participation necessary in the Xcel case that the SRA monitor the CenterPoint case and report back to the Executive Committee if any issue surfaces that requires more active participation. The Board affirmed that approach. 10. UTILITY LOCATE RULES. Mr. Strommen reiterated the availability of information to SRA members on proposed amended language addressing the new water and sewer private service lateral locating requirements placed on municipalities as "operators" under the Gopher State One Call statute. All utilities are obligated to locate private service laterals within the right-of-way on newly -installed laterals, effective January 1, 2006. The ordinance language is available on request. 11. QWEST AFOR. Mr. Vose reported on the results of Qwest's revised alternative form of regulation (AFOR) proposal. The SRA was active in negotiating a protective provision on Qwest's recovery of costs for relocating of its facilities within the right-of-way. The language agreed upon and approved by the Commission was attached to the agenda and is available on request. This relocation language is very unlikely to be triggered in the normal course of utility relocation and public improvement projects. Mr. Vose also reported on the increased commitment by Qwest through the AFOR to DSL investment in SRA cities. 12. QWEST VIDEO FRANCHISES. Mr. Vose reported that Qwest has expressed an interest in working through the SRA on franchises that must be negotiated with cities for video services. Recent court decisions have established that video services provided by telephone companies are subject to franchise requirements under Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 238 (cable). The interest of Qwest is in working with larger groups such as the SRA. No formal proposal has been made by Qwest and legal issues regarding the SRA's authority to bind cities would be an issue were this to be pursued. Mr. Vose will continue to monitor this matter. 13. WIRELESS SERVICE PROVIDER RENEGOTIATION: Mr. Keinath raised the issue of requests from T -Mobile to renegotiate water tower leases upon the expiration of the five-year periods built into the lease. The consensus was that the various markets within which these water towers are situated will dictate the economic incentive of the wireless provider to stay or renegotiate lower leases. There was no evidence presented that there is any reason to renegotiate a lower amount to these providers. 14. SRA HISTORY DISTRIBUTION: It was noted by members of the Board that it is helpful to receive updated summaries of SRA accomplishments and history to be circulated to member city councils. Upon request, counsel for the SRA will send such summaries or distribute them directly to councils. JMS-274361 vl 3 SU160-3 15. LOCATION OF NEXT MEETING: Mr. Gridley offered to host the April meeting at the City of Woodbury. The meeting will be held at a City facility over the lunch hour as has been done during the last year. 16. CLAIMS: Kennedy & Graven did not submit a claim due to the agreement to defer billings until assessments are collected for 2006. Ms. Peterson moved to authorized the Treasurer to pay that portion of Kennedy & Graven's claims from last year with an amount that would not exceed the minimum required by the SRA's bank to avoid administrative charges. Mr. Cockriel seconded the motion, which passed unanimously. Mr. Wallin will communicate with Kennedy & Graven regarding that amount. 17. ADJOURNMENT. The meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m. Attest: Chairman Secretary JMS-274361v1 4 SU 160-3 January 10, 2006 Dear Honorable Mayor Johnson and Council Members, Marc and I would like to take a minute of your time to compliment a group of individuals from your Park and Recreation Department who have showed leadership, creativity, and commitment to a successful public/private joint initiative. Approximately four months ago, Marc and I sat down with Eric Blank and Bill Abel to discuss a new business concept that we thought could add value to the Plymouth Ice Center and the citizens who frequent the facility. From day one, they were great partners in helping us refine the idea and stepping up to the plate to try a new concept- putting a 50" plasma screen in the lobby with daily information, community announcements, entertainment content, and advertisements. Bill and his team of Steve Lewis, Chad Stancer, and Barb Ackerson have worked extremely hard and been outstanding partners in making our joint initiative a success for the families of Plymouth and visitors to the ice arena. Please take a moment to recognize their contribution and fine work. Sincerely, Darren Wercinski Marc Kline CEO & Co -Founder EVP & Co -Founder REACH Sports Marketing Group, Inc. REACH Sports Marketing Group, Inc. P: (952) 212-7573 P: 952-457-0429 E: dan-en(al..reachsportsgroup.com E: marc(coreachsportsgroup.com