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10-26-1976 A regular meeting of the Hopkins Zoning and Planning Commission was held on Tuesday, �. . October 26, 1976, at 7:30 P.M. in the Council Chambers of the City Hall. Present were Chairman Arnold, members Gaskell, Hance, Morrill and Slaton. Also present were Zoning Administrator Kohnen, City Engineer Strojan, City Planner Hawks. Item: Aprove and sign minutes of August 31 and September 28 meetings. Action: Minutes approved and signed. Mrs. Moll, who has resigned, wasn't available to sign. Item: Discussion of old and new business by commission members. Report by John Strojan, City Engineer, regarding parking progress and traffic flow on north side of C.B.D. Attenda.nce chart from January l, 1976 to September 28, 1976 presented to the commission. Joint meeting with Council changed to Wednesday, November 3, 1976 to review proposed Zoning Ordinance. `. Item: Pass a resolution that the Zoning and Planning Commission of Hopkins approves of the redevelopment plan of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of Hopkins, I�iinnesota entitled "Hopkins Redevelopment Program". Action: Mr. Gaskell moved and Dr. Slaton seconded a motion to recommend to the City Council approval of the resolution of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of Hopkins. Motion carried. Cor�y of resolution attached to minutes. Item: Public hearing on proposed improvement of County Road #3 (Excelsior Avenue) from 800 feet east of County Road #20 (Blake Road) to 500 feet west of Louisiana Avenue. Action: Mrs. Morrill moved and Mr. Gaskell seconded a motion to recommend to the City Council denial of the plan to improve County Road 3 from 800 feet east of Blake Road to 500 feet west of Louisiana Avenue for one year for further study. Motion carried. Arnold, nay; Hance, nay; Morrill, yea; Gaskell, yea; Slaton, yea. Letters attached to minutes. Item: Report by Jim Hawks relative to the proposed By-Laws and Zoning Ordinance in regard to time schedules, continued to meeting of November 30, 1976. ` Action: Mrs. Morrill moved and Mr. Gaskell seconded a motion that the meeting be adjourned. Motion carried. MEMBERS: /�� � /��- .:�e-� ��r `�\Q�.`�i\�� -�Ci.�` /' ` <" �'� ���) �'_Cdi / � ATTEST;� , �` ���=2��� David Arnold, Chairman � (Official Publication) CITY OF HOPKINS Hennepin County, Minnesota LdOTICE OF HEARING �' ON PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT OF CO. RD. #3 (EXCELSIOR �VENUE) FROM 800 FEET EAST OF CO. RD. #20 (BLAKE ROAD) TO 500 FEET [�TEST OF LOUISIANA AVENUE The State law provides that any County Highway improvement within the City limits must be approved by the municipal Council. Hennepin County has proposed an upgrading of Excelsior Avenue from 800 feet east of County Road #20 (Blake k2oad) to 500 feet west of Louisiana Avenue. This section of County Road No. 3 would be constructed to four lanes with separate left turn lanes at major intersecting streets and driveways, and with bus turn-out bays. Other major features proposed include raised centerline medians which would affect left turn access to abutting properties. Traffic signals are proposed to be in- � stalled at Meadowbrooke Road. The revisions on Excelsior Avenue affect properties fronting on Excelsior Avenue from Blake Road to the east City limits. The proposed plan is on display at the Hopkins City Hall on the wall in the lobby of the Police Station until the date of the Public Hearing. The Police Station is open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The municipal review of this Proposed Plan is scheduled for 7:30 P.M. , on Tuesday, October 26, 1976 by the Planning and Zoninq Commission at which time you can state your views on the proposed project. Iaritten statements may be submitted at the hearing or prior to the hearing. � If you have any questions on these plans, please contact Don S. Spielman at the Hennepin County Highway Department 935-3381 or the Hopkins Engineering De�artment 935-8474 at the City Hall. We will be pleased to assist you in any way we can. CITY OF HOPKINS John J. Strojan, City Engineer Published in the HOPKINS SUN, October 13, 1976. � YETr� J. ECl�.��I::�T ' 16�3 Pre�ton Lane Hopkins, :�:innesota 55343 � •ctmber 15, 1�7� � Planning and Zmning Cemmissi�n Citv •f Hm�pkins . _ Gentlemen: Tnis is in res_aonse to NlTICi: •F HEriRI'�'.G ON Pit�POa�.D I;•;PFtO��r,:��E:TIT OF EXCEISIOR 4V�I�UE, ETC. which came to me through the mails on October Z1�, 1976. t�;y residence is 1603 Preston Lane, Hopkins. I have resided wiLh my farn�:�y at that address since 1.953• I arl now retired, foi::�erly General Sa�es i•:anager with Fruen Iviilling Cozi?ariy of I�ir.neapolis. ���{y property line on the North abuts xceisior Ave. from Inter�achen Road East sorr:e 30 feet. The line iies one �'oot Soutn oi the Exce1- sio: :tvenue cur•b. Ob��iously, �rere the proposed improvement acted on, I woizld lose some 20 feet of rr�y bac'.�c yard, including r�y fenc�, and all the shrubbery and trees wP hac which constitute our only hope for some privacy, and a sm.all smidgeon of protection fro m traffic noise. Naturally, on that score alone, I an o-�posed to this"irr�provement". Beyond that, how- ever, and rnore importantly to x.any Ho�kins residents, the change would hold possib- � ilities for new hazards. PL;R.TAI�IIt�G TO TFiE IEFT iUP�N IAiJE: T:ze prop�sed left turn la:�e at the corner. of Interlachen ar.d �xcelsior Avenue WOUJ_� eric.o�.zrage 1tI� tilr'C'i� Oit i.fi15 p8T'yi,J_CL1ic1T' COT'::�Y'� r.y Of�'eripu gn OntlOI1 of turnin� on Interlachen wi,en the sto� si�n at 'nlake and ;�xcelsior created a back uo of traffic there. Choosin�; to avoid tne left tnwn on �slake, rrith its ston and go sign, drivers t�.r�: left on Interlacheri, ther� south to Bovice or Goodrich, across one of thesa streets, then left on �lake. rer drivers going 5outh on Blake from �xcelsior tiver:ue this wil.l be an exc�llent Hray io avo�.d t,he Blake and Excelsior cor�:er. How��ver it ��aill create a good deal of h3zard wi.th the added Yii�her snzed through traffic novin�; throu�h our resi�ier.�yal streets. J�'hen corrin�=, oi f �celsior Ii�.renue drivers accustorned to their I�G to 50 mile so��eds continue ti�air hi�her sppeds wnen cor.Ling in to In;.erlachen I�oad. t•�e hs.ve some of this ty:�e of traific r.ow, but it will increa.se greai.ly if we encourage it by making leit• turn� into Inter•lachen rr�ore inviting. FF;HT��.I:�1IP.;G `I'0 Tf� BUS F,�:Y: �riere is no reason for an expensive bus bay to acccr:lodate the e��tremely s�all_ use of this particul^.r• bus stop. Ti-�ere is :oom r.ow for ous�es to co��e alon� � � side the curb without intarunting tre f1_ow o'' trafi'ic in t.ne other two east bound lanes. `!ne nwnbex of passen�ers usin� this stop is ver;� sreall. Even at the rush haurs of the morr.ir.g, there is rare:iy more than two or L'nree �oardinp the bus. E:�arding is aecomplished very quickly, at tirnes the bus barely cor.lir_F; to a, halt. Uurin�; t..e oFf rush hours, it is ver�,;T unusual to see anyone waiting for the bus. I sa�T tt�i.s fror.� perso7al cbservation - I live on this coxner. Y�ith the arove in mind I as�: that you do not recomn�end approval of the proposed chan��e� in thi� hig;m�a�, irorr. t'r:e standpoint of traffic safety on oui• adjoi_r.ing z•esident�_al streetsy a�d,froT t�r�e �.a}.payers stan�lpoint, the cost of needless cha.n�es. Al.so, I � 'f�a�a �ie to lose the '�e:;t part of n�y backyar-a. Thar.k y�u for whatever �avo.rab]_e corsideratior. you can �li�rc: mS� request. Since�ely, r `1�, � �-� \ . rt�'� j,'_' \. r.�.C �'t , �-- -�'�c,�:;,�d r October 20, 1976 ._ Planning and Zoning Commission Hopkins, iViinnesota � Dear Commission Members, This letter is in regard to the proposed improvements of County Road 3, Excelsior Avenue from 800 feet east of County Road 20, Blake Road, to 500 feet west of Louisiana Avenue. Excelsior Avenue is a heavily traveled four-lane highway. The back of our property abutts this highway. The trucks and cars traveling on this highway often create a high level of noise pollution. During the spring and summer, wher. storm windows are removed and windows opened, it is often difficult to enjoy the quiet serenity of our home and it is most impossible to sleep in a bedroom that is located on the back side of our home. The present hedge and trees provide some sound barrier when � they are in full leaf. The proposed plan for a bus turn-out bay, which would take 20 feet of oar pro�ert3�, including our. hedge and some trees, would indeed raise i:he noise level to an even greater degree. The proposed plan calls for a bus bay to be built from the corner of Interlqci�en Road East, which would adversely affect the first three lots in the block, including our property. We have observed that only a very few customers board the bus at the present Interlqcl�en stop. We feel that there is absolutely no need for a bus bay at this point. One of our family members rides the bus daily to the downtown area and has always been a single boarder at this stop during �the peak hours. Interlocken Park has only a feti�v customers at best. We question the value of the expenditure of a bus bay in a lo��r-volurne stop. On the proposed plan, in a liigh-volume stop such as Meadowbroolc Apartments, there is no proposal for a bus bay heading east on Excelsior. �. . In regard to the left-turn lane at Excelsior and Interlqcl�en Road from the east, we feel this left-turn lane, so close to B lake and Excelsior, would divert traffic into Interlqc!�er. Park, a residential area, to avoid the awkward l�ft turn at Blake Road. We have c:urrentl,y observed some traffic turning on Intex•lqcken Road to Boyce Avenue and through i:o Blake Road to avoid the stop light at Blake, The proposed plan calls for left-turn lanes at Interlqcl�en, �I�medale, Hawthorne and Meadowbrook Road and v�re question the necessity for so many left-turn lanes from the east in such a small residential area. Planning and Zoning Commission Page 2 -- October 20, 1976 We hope that the PZanning Commission members will study our concerns and reevaluate this proposal, especially in the area of the proposed bus bay on the residential side of EYcelsior and Interlqc�en Road. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, ��� ��%�tL�vLiV"� �i � Berniece and Russell Hinkie � 1607 Preston Lane Hopkins rh/sgb . � m � . RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF HOPKINS, MINNESOTA PRESENTING THE OPINION OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN OF THE HOUSING AND `. REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF HOPKINS, MINNESOTA ENTITLED "HOPKINS CBD REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM" WHEREAS, it has been the intent and desire of the City of Hopkins for many years to improve conditions in the section of the City of Hopkins referred to as the Central Business District; and 67HEREAS, the Housina and Redevelopment Authority of Hopkins, Minnesota (the "Authority") , has now prepared a redevelopment plan for the Central Business District of Hopkins, Minnesota (the "Project Area") , entitled "Hopkins CBD Redevelop- ment Program (the "Plan") ; and WHEREAS, the Plan has been prepared by the Authority with the cooper- ation and assistance of the appropriate City departments; and � WHEREAS, the Authority has now transmitted the Plan to the Planning Commission of the City of Hopkins for its study, and has requested the written opinion of the Planning Commission on the Plan, all pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 462.515; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission has now studied and considered said Plan. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF HOPKINS, that, having studied and considered the Plan, the Planning Com- mission, by this resolution, advises the City Council, the Authority, and all in- terested persons, that it is the opinion of the Planning Commission that: �. 1. The Plan provides an outline for the development and redevelopment of the Program Area and is sufficiently complete to indicate the relationship of the Plan to the objectives of the City of Hopkins as to appropriate land uses within the Program Area, and to indicate the general land uses and qeneral stan- dards of development or redevelopment within the Program Area; 2. The Program Area is a deteriorated and deteriorating area within the meaning of Minnesota Statutes 462.421, subd. 11; 3. The proposed Plan is necessary to eliminate, and prevent the spread of, such deterioration; 4. The Program Area is subject to conditions preventing private develop- ment and would not be made available for redevelopment of the Program Area by ._ private enterprise consistent with the sound needs of the locality as a whole; � 5. The Plan affords maximum opportunity for redevelopment of the Program Area by private enterprise consistent with the sound needs of the locality as a whole; 6. The objectives and purposes of the Plan conform to and are consistent with the general land use proposals and planning objectives previously, from time to time, established by the Planning Commission of the City of Hopkins for the de- velopment of the Program Area; 7. The Plan should be approved by the Authority and the city Council of Hopkins, Minnesota, and be implemented and carried out as soon as possible. DULY ADOPTED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF HOPKINS, MINNESOTA, this day of � 1976. � ,�� , � , � -) , � , ;' , ,' . 1�� �� �� � _ David Arnold, Chairman � �..