Minutes for September 20,2006 Joint City council Meeting with Minnetonka r
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. MINUTES
MINNETONKA CITY COUNCIL
JOINT CITY COUNCIL MEETING, SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
1. CALL TO ORDER.
Mayor Callison called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL.
A. Minnetonka Council Members Dick AllendorF, Bob Ellingson, Terry
Schneider, AI Thomas, Tony Wagner, and Mayor Jan Callison were
present. Brad Wiersum was excused.
B. Hopkins Council Members Kristi Halverson, Bruce Rowan, Jay
Thompson, Cheryl Youakim, and Mayor Gene Maxwell were
present.
3. PUBLIC HEARING:
A. Preliminary layout approval for Shady Oak Road Project,
Excelsior Blvd. to just north of Highway 7.
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Callison welcomed the public to the joint meeting and stated the
meeting purpose was to discuss the preliminary layout approval for
the Shady Oak Road project from Excelsior Blvd. to just north of
Highway 7 and receive public input.
Minnetonka City Engineer Lee Gustafson presented the joint staff
report.
Hopkins Public Works Director Steve Stadler highlighted some of
the resident concerns and how those have been addressed in the
preliminary layout, including the property acquisition schedule
included in the report. He noted both drainage improvements and
buffering of the roadway in residential areas after the completion of
the project will continue to be reviewed throughout the design
process.
Schneider asked Gustafson about the alternative of a cul=de-sac on
the north service drive and any impacts identified in the traffic
study. Gustafson responded the traffic study included closing off
the service drive (Lake Street Extension) at Shady Oak Road and
creating a cul-de-sac at Auburn Drive. The study reported there
� were 1,040 vehicles per day using the north service drive. Staff was
requested to re-look at the traffic counts because it was felt the
counts may have been impacted by construction at County Roads 5
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JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 2 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006 ,;,;;,
and 73. Another traffic count was subse uentl conducted when �
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no construction was ongoing, and that count was actually higher
than the first one, at about 1,150 vehicles.
Gustafson continued that staff considered where these vehicles
would go if access to Shady Oak Road were closed off. A recent
traffic count on Lake Street Extension at Baker Road indicated
about 900 to 950 vehicles per day. Installing the cul-de-sac and
closing off the north service drive would create another 450
vehicles per day going to Baker Road, increasing the traffic count
from over 900 to over 1,300 cars per day. Some cars would cut
through on Huntingdon Drive to get to Shady Oak Road, but a good
portion of them would go back to Baker, and the rest would find
other ways through the residential area.
Gustafson continued that staff previously requested that Baker
Road be re-striped to address some of the current turning
movement problems at the intersection with Lake Street Extension.
It was then re-striped, which helped people traveling northbound on
Baker Road. However, currently there is a problem with people
traveling northbound on Baker Road and turning right or left onto
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Lake Street Ext. and for people coming west on Lake Street
Extension onto Baker Road. Adding another 450 vehicles a day
would exacerbate the current problem. A signal was considered,
but it did not meet the county's standards for a signal.
In response to a question from the Hopkins council, Gustafson
stated the 1,000 trips on the service road at the Shady Oak Road
intersection are coming from the neighborhood befinreen Baker
Road and Shady Oak Road. If somebody was on Baker Road,
there would be no reason for them to cut down to the north senrice
drive to access Shady Oak Road.
In response to a question by AllendorF, Gustafson explained the
new configuration at Bradford Road will restrict access to right-in,
right-out, where currently there is full access. This makes sense in
order to improve safety on Shady Oak Road, and that
recommendation is made because the neighborhood has full
access a short distance away on Excelsior Boulevard.
Allendorf asked if this will lead people to go south on Shady Oak
Road and make a U-turn at Excelsior Boulevard to northbound
Shady Oak Road. Gustafson responded no, because once people
, figure out how to access the various roads from that neighborhood, "`"
they will likely not make U-turns or similar movements, although he �
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� JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 3 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
could not guarantee there will not be someone who chooses to
make a U-turn.
Allendorf asked if there is an accident problem currently at that
intersection. Gustafson responded there are no records to indicate
that. From experience, staff feels this is the most appropriate
recommendation to eliminate some of the concerns about people
pulling out at the wrong time.
In response to a question by Thomas about the size of the
roundabout, Gustafson stated the outside diameter is 120 feet and
the inside diameter is 80 feet. A typical cul-de-sac in Minnetonka is
80 feet in diameter from curb line to curb line. The inside would
therefore be the same size as that, and the outside diameter would
actually be 40 feet wider than the typical cul-de-sac.
Wagner asked about moving the roundabout to the Main Street
intersection and also whether it is possible to install the cul-de-sac
on Lake Street Extension now but have the opening of the north
service drive as part of a 50-year plan. Gustafson responded that a
roundabout was not considered; it becomes much more difficult to
� put a roundabout in that area because of the multi-lane situation. A
much larger roundabout would dramatically impact many more
properties. These are not as common in the United States, though
they do tend to work well where used. It was not considered here
because the concept is new to the U.S. and, as staff knows,
redevelopment issues have to be addressed.
Gustafson continued it is possible to reconstruct Shady Oak Road,
install a cul-de-sac on Lake Street E�ension, and reopen the north
service drive at a future point. Although some concerns would be
eliminated in doing that, others would be created. Additionally,
Hennepin County would not likely pay for right-of-way acquisition if
it is not done as part of this current project, so it would be a cost
completely incurred by Minnetonka.
In response to a question by Ellingson regarding a change of
elevation on the roundabout, Gustafson explained there is a grade
differential between where the roundabout is proposed and Main
Street. The grade drops off significantly in the backside area. It may
require modifications to reduce wetland impacts, but staff will not
know for certain what the wetland impacts might be until the final
design phase occurs. Main Street has a hump in the intersection,
� so he assumes that will be reduced to help eliminate the great
differential, and it is likely some mitigation efforts will be required.
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JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 4 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
Schneider asked what would ha en if the ro e to the south �
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redevelops before the roundabout is needed to be built. Gustafson
responded it would be much easier if the road project progressed
and the properties redeveloped at the same time: He could envision
something like a very ornate Iandscape feature there. A 90-degree
roundabout could also accomplish the same things discussed in the
staff report.
Callison asked whether there would be enough traffic to trigger the
need for a traffic signal at Baker Road if the cul-de-sac is installed
on Lake Street Extension. Gustafson responded when that was
reviewed in the traffic study, the warrants for a traffic signal were
not met.
Callison asked if the impact of 25 percent more traffic would
warrant a signal. Gustafson responded when reviewing that option,
staff included that additional traffic and projected it out over 20
years and still the intersection did not meet the warrants for a
signaL
Callison asked what the county approval process is after tonight's
meeting. Gustafson responded receipt of the approved preliminary �;
layout indicates to the county that the impacted cities are in
agreement with the geometric layout. It also tells the county to
proceed with final designs and right-of-way acquisition, while
working with the cities on some of the finer details. The next step is
final plan approval by both city councils. Staffs from both cities and
the county will work together on as many details as possible
regarding geometrics, drainage, and aesthetics prior to this
returning to the councils for final plan approvaL
Also necessary will be the approval of a number of agreements,
including a cooperative agreement. The agreement reflects that
both cities would agree with the county on cost participation, when
payments would be made under what conditions, and other various
requirements. Since this project is so complicated and involves
many issues regarding geometrics, wetlands and road work,
Gustafson estimates the funding agreements would be brought to
the council once construction estimates are known (which could
take several months). If preliminary layout approval is received
tonight, right-of-way estimates will be obtained as well. Both
councils will sign the same document.
Callison recognized County Commissioner Linda Koblick and noted '°��°
a number of county staff members are also present.
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• JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 5 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
Craig Twinem, Hennepin County Transportation Department,
explained once the plans are developed, he and the county
engineer will sign the cover sheet in order to ensure it meets the
intent of the preliminary layout. There will also be a construction
cooperative agreement that requires county board approval. On this
project, the county envisions a right-of-way agreement that will
need approval a little sooner due to the complexity of right-of-way
acquisition. Twinem then introduced a number of county staff who
will be working on the project.
Rowan asked what it would take to install a traffic light at Baker
Road and Lake Street E�ctension. Twinem responded there are
several warrants which are uniform across the nation and within
Minnesota. The time to restudy the intersection is after completion
of the construction project to see if there have been any changes
and to determine if a signal is warranted. Traffic signals cost
$200,000 to $300,000. Since there is not enough money to install
all the signals needed across the county, a hard look is taken at
locations where cities request a signal. The county can review the
intersection after construction is completed.
• � In response to a question by the Hopkins council on whether the
county would fund opening of the north service road in the future if
the cul-de-sac was installed now, Twinem responded this project is
funded within the county's CIP. Ultimately, the county board would
have the decision, but the county typically does not come back to
an area where a project has been completed. From the county's
perspective, the time to address the area is now, and it is an area
that needs improvement. It does have some right-of-way impacts,
and staff would work with the impacted residents. The county
supports this layout as shown and cannot guarantee funding for a
future reconfiguration.
In response to a question by the Hopkins council, Twinem
explained the county supports the reconfiguration of the frontage
road. From the county perspective, the county, like Mn-DOT, would
like to remove as many access points as possible along county
roads. They would support a cul-de-sac as well, though it is a local
issue. There will be less traffic turning into this reconfigured
frontage road.
Schneider commented that to study Baker Road and Lake Street
Extension for a stoplight misses the point of those who want a cul-
• de-sac. He also asked Twinem's opinion regarding how the Baker
Road and Lake Street Extension intersection would work,
especially as it is already difficult to get onto Baker Road.
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JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 6 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006 �-�
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Twinem responded the problem of people exiting off Highway 7
onto Baker Road and trying to make a left turn would be magnified.
There will also be people coming off of Lake Street Extension
heading westbound, which magnifies the problem because of the
close proximity to the Highway 7 exit. It is not an easy situation. A
signal might create some gaps but could create a back-up problem
as well. If these roads were by themselves, it would be easier to
have answers and assumptions. But because of the close proximity
of the roads, there are issues created when making changes to
traffic in the area.
Callison stated she recalled the county discussing installation of a
median on Baker Road. She asked about the impact of making the
improvements and not the frontage road at Shady Oak Road, and
also putting a median in so cars would not be able to go east on 7.
There will still be some movement at that intersection, but not all
the traffic would be put onto Baker Road. She asked if that is more
feasible today than it was six months ago.
Twinem responded the biggest concern is the close proximity of a
frontage road to a major intersection. The movement coming out of '`
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the north service drive is the problem. The proximity of the north
service drive to Highway 7 is so close that people cannot come out
of north service drive and fully get in the left turn lane. That would
be magnified if there was even one car in line they are trying to get
behind. The big issue with this situation is the people who want to
access Highway 7 or Shady Oak Road coming out or heading
eastbound onto the north service drive.
Callison asked the public to remember preferred concept approval
has been given. What is before the councils tonight are the three
changes highlighted by staff: the slight movement of the road to the
west, the issues regarding the Oak Drive Lane connection, and the
north frontage road. She asked the public comments to focus on
those changes.
Maxwell added this has been an important project and a long
process between the finro cities.
Callison opened the public hearing.
Pierre d'Albertis, 4828 Shady Oak Road, stated he has lived at his
property since 1974. He believes the most important thing to �
address is safety. The proposed frontage road realignment is an
uncontrolled intersection without a four-way stop, meaning the
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JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 7 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
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traffic coming north will have to cross the traffic coming south
without any control. The turn will be a left turn into oncoming traffic
without control. There is already a line of 10 to 12 cars at this
intersection. He added that further up on Shady Oak Road are a
number of school bus stops on both sides of the streets. The
topography of the street will require changes to make a clear
sightline to the lights. When people see a green light, they increase
their speed. There are a number of families with small
schoolchildren, and they will not be prepared to deal with a
speedway.
D'Albertis also explained the cost considerations of this project.
Lake Dimple is a real lake and would qualify as lakefront property,
and there is 165 feet of lakefront property between his property and
his next door neighbor's. He understands under the relocation
mandate that someone will find him a home in a comparable
situation on a lakefront, and that would likely be inordinately
expensive. D'Albertis noted that the county's warrants do not allow
the installation of a traffic control at this uncontrolled intersection.
He liked Wagner's idea of possibly delaying part of this until a later
date, as that may be more cost efficient. From a business
• approach, the idea of the expenses involved in what is not a
completely safe bypass for the convenience of a shortcut does not
make sense.
Gustafson noted the city has done frontage road realignment
projects on Williston Road both north and south of Highway 7. This
type of project has worked very well, and the city has received
compliments on making intersections safer by providing separation
from the roads and the major intersections and also by cleaning up
the site distances. It is true this would be an uncontrolled
intersection, but there would be a left-hand turn lane for north-
bound traffic. Currently there are no turn lanes in situation. Under
this design, there is a lane where someone can safely sit and make
a left turn. Also, if somebody made a mistake pulling out of the
north service drive, there is adequate width available to stop quickly
and not be in the north-bound through lane yet. That type of
situation does not exist today.
Gustafson addressed the notion of traffic signals at every
intersection and stated besides being cost-prohibitive, Mn-DOT, the
county, and the city all have obligations to keep the general public
moving on the roads. If there are obstructions at every intersection,
• it can force people to do cut-through. There have to be very good
rationales to put traffic signals in place, and so there obviously will
be some uncontrolled intersections. Additionally, people are not
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JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 8 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
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accustomed to stopping on a major thoroughfare for a minor
intersection.
Gustafson continued he believes the project is worth the cost. It is a
50-plus year design. It is a very expensive acquisition, but
spreading it out over 50 years meets a cost benefit analysis.
Vida Percy, 325 19 Avenue North, stated a lot of parents drive
kids to West Junior High on Baker Road, and that intersection looks
less appealing than it did in the previous plan. A cul-de-sac there
would eliminate a lot of traffic. She also expressed concern about
Second Street, as there will be more cut-through traffic in her
neighborhood. She is concerned people in her neighborhood will be
trapped in trying to get out and forced to get behind a line of cars
on Shady Oak Road.
Curt Johnson, VFW, 100 Shady Oak Road, stated the VFW will
lose approximately 20 parking spots with the road expansion. The
VFW contributes a lot of donations to local eommunities, and he
sees the demise of this post if this project goes through as is. He
noticed the VFW is not on the list of acquisitions for the right-of-
way, and he believes it should be included. Once the road �`
construction begins, he predicted the VFW would be out of `'�'�
business in 30 days.
Callison asked staff to explain the process of redevelopment of
parcels and location of adequate parking for businesses.
Gustafson explained after the geometrics are discussed, the
process that will occur is the redevelopment of certain parcels
along the corridor. The road is getting pushed to the west, and
some parking will be taken. As part of this redevelopment study,
both councils will have to look at ways to accommodate the VFW
parking needs. Both councils have stressed at almost every
meeting that they are concerned about current businesses, the
ones that want to remain there, and how to keep them in business
during the process. That process will be led by the city staffs of
Hopkins and Minnetonka, with participation by the county.
Callison aske if ther wil w r
d e I be ans e s to some of these questions
rior to construction in 2009. Gustafson res onded affirmativel . He
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noted at times there will be some road closures, but for the most
part, traffic will remain open on Shady Oak Road throughout the
entire construction of the project. �����°
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• JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 9 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
Maxwell noted one of the major concerns of the council was how
businesses were to survive with the parking that was left and how
that was to be addressed. He believes that will be addressed
through the process.
Craig Kepler, 3512 Laura Lane, noted he did not receive a mailed
notice of the meeting, nor did any of his neighbors. He voiced his
objection to the design relative to the north service road and stated
the county is not getting a 20-year design for its millions of dollars.
The cost is not just the money; families will have to be moved from
their homes, and finro lovely homes will be replaced with a road. He
understands the cify has counted 1,000 trips per day. There are
three kinds of trips. The first kind is area residents who use the
road, and the number of local resident trips will remain the same
over the next 30 years. There are others who find Shady Oak Road
backed up and subsequently cut through that neighborhood. If
Shady Oak Road is widened, every one of those trips will be
eliminated because there will be an easy right-hand turn onto
Highway 7.
Kepler continued that the third kind of traffic is cut-through to Baker
• Road. If the county wants to spend millions of dollars to improve an
intersection for those cut-through drivers, they should upgrade the
intersection at Baker Road and Highway 7. There is a lot of land
there, with no homes, and it could look like the Hopkins Crossroads
interchange over 394. The human cost and community cost would
be less than what is being proposed. He does not like the idea of
spending taxpayer dollars to move his neighbors for something that
will not solve the problem.
Wendy Foty, 3836 Shady Oak Road, commented she was also not
notified of any of these meetings, even though the road changes
occur in front of her property. She asked what further development
is planned at that intersection. The only examples given were
Williston Road and Highway 7, which are commercial areas. She
questioned whether this plan can be justified for an area that is not
commercial and does not have commercial traffic.
Callison noted there is no plan for commercial development by
Minnetonka in this area. She added notification has been an issue
for several people and asked Gustafson to comment.
Gustafson stated as this process progressed; the notification limits
• kept getting bigger and bigger and moved more northerly of
Highway 7. Staff drew a line on the north side of the pond and went
westerly. Staff sought to ensure that the folks who would
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JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 10 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006 .,.;;,-,�
experience traffic impacts were notified. More people could have
been notified, but it was a judgment call to notify the people who
would be most impacted by changes in traffic patterns and
inconveniences.
Nick Wogstad, 4007 Huntingdon Drive, noted he is one of the
petition signers who does not want a cul-de-sac in the north service
road. He takes a left to Baker Road off the frontage road, and there
have been a number of times when he has tried to cross safely,
and it is not a good intersection. Visibility on the right and left are
poor, and increasing the traffic flow would increase danger.
Additionally, he lives on the road that would likely assume most of
the increased traffic patterns.
Jeri Massengill, 4272 Oak Drive Lane, stated she appreciates the
work that the city staffs have done to address some of the
neighborhood concerns over the last 18 months, but she still has
concerns regarding the connection of her street to Main Street in
Hopkins. The first problem is the projected increase in traffic. Most
residents are young families and there is also a daycare on the
street. There are no sidewalks, so kids play in the front yards and
ride their bikes in the street. Last week she had to stop a car from �,"'��
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speeding down the road while kids were riding their bikes in the
road. Safety is her primary concern.
Massengill continued that her second concern is the neighborhood
will be directly connected by a road to whatever commercial
development occurs at the current location of the strip mall. She
used to work in the development industry and has never heard of a
developer who liked a roundabout. She is concerned it will
disappear at the time the land is redeveloped or sold to another
owner. They cause problems for access and create site
obstructions, and she has seen them disappear from plans in the
past. She has one issue with the traffic study; she disagrees with
the assumption that the neighborhoods to the west of hers would
not change their traffic patterns. If this connection is built between
Oak Drive Lane and Main Street, drivers will use it.
Callison asked Gustafson to remind the council about the figures
cited in the traffic study. Gustafson indicated the traffic counts for :
Oak Drive Lane, north and south, were 230 vehicles per day; that is
a relatively low volume for a residential street. Under the proposal,
the traffic projections increased from 230 to 367 on the south leg,
and the north leg dropped by more than half to 93. Where .both Oak "����
Drive Lanes come together and head west, that traffic count did not
change. Staff reviewed whether this will be a convenient way for
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• JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 11 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
people living west of here to access Shady Oak Road. The
proposed layout provides good connections at Excelsior Boulevard,
including Lake Street connection. People who currently use the
existing Lake Street access to Shady Oak Road will likely use the
new Lake Street Extension access, and not switch over to Oak
Drive Lane.
Callison asked what happens to the traffic patterns within the
neighborhood if it is right-in, right-out on both legs. Gustafson
responded the neighborhood traffic pattern would change. Drivers
would have to choose how to access Shady Oak Road and use one
of the intersections to do a U-turn or choose to use Lake Street
Extension as their full access point.
Callison stated she assumes a developer would not have a choice
about the roundabout being built, as it would be on public property.
Gustafson concurred. Any developer would not have a choice
regarding removal of a roundabout. He believes nowadays
developers want roundabouts as access points into neighborhoods,
as they slow traffic down and build some character. There are
situations within Minnetonka where developers would like to see
• roundabouts, as it allows people an area to turn around. Traffic
circles that were poorly designed in the past are difficult to
maneuver around, but these are entirely different than a modern
day roundabout.
Keith Strunk, 4001 Huntingdon Drive, urged the council to accept
the north senrice road design as it is. He does not believe roads like
Huntingdon are designed to handle an increase in traffic.
Ann Annestad, 4255 Oak Drive Lane, stated she lives in a quiet
neighborhood and the proposal will increase traffic. A roundabout
will create curiosity; drivers will want to use it; and the
neighborhood will change. Currently, the neighborhood is not
connected to the business area, and that is a concern for the
neighbors. No one knows what will be developed there, and
residents would like to keep the neighborhood separate and quiet.
Chris Annestad, 4255 Oak Drive Lane, asked when the roundabout
became part of the proposal. He does not have a problem with
redeveloping the area, but he does not want to be connected with
that. He inquired whether there are zoning laws that may keep the
neighborhood separate. Having a road there is different than having
� a fence or a berm. He assumes all the neighbors' emails and
petitions were heard by the council, but he is not sure because the
proposal calls for a roundabout rather than no access. He is also
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JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 12 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006 i;;; ,,,�
concerned about environmental impacts, given what happened �
recently at Glen Lake.
Gustafson noted it was after the July 11 joint study session that
staff considered how to address those concerns and still provide full
access, and a roundabout was considered. He added a layout
showing all three street options was posted on the county's website
prior to the notice of this meeting.
Callison asked Gustafson to address the environmental impacts of
the roundabout. Gustafson responded the environmental impacts of
the project will be studied when the county gets into final design
plans. There needs to be an agreed-upon geometric design for the
roadway first.
Callison added the zoning for the area is created to be part of the
development process. Making decisions about whether it is
commercial or residential, and what level of commercial or
residential, is an ongoing process and the city councils will seek
public participation. This project should not have an impact on the
zoning of the residential neighborhood. The council would have to
review the Comp Plan guideline, but this project should not have an �"
impact on the neighborhood zoning.
Gina Musech, 3727 Shady Oak Road, stated she lives north of the
north service road intersection. She believes that intersection
presents a safety issue, and there needs to be some resolution to
that. The current proposal does not rectify that hazard area, most
importantly because drivers will still be able to make a left-hand
turn out of that service exit, as that is located at the bottom of a hill
and curve. She would like some clarification as to the viewpoint by
the people coming south on Shady Oak Road and also some
clarification on any further improvements that are expected to
happen further north on Shady Oak and if that has been taken into
consideration by the county. The county and Mn-DOT prefer to limit
access points onto major roads, but this is basically moving an
access point further north, not reducing an access point.
Musech continued that her belief is a cul-de-sac would reduce
traffic on the service road, which should be an objective of this
process. Currently a lot of people use that service road as a
shortcut. Shady Oak Road is oftentimes very backed up, and when
that happens, people go along the shoulder to bypass those cars
and take the north service road. With the improvement of the right ,"u'
turn lane that will ho efull be im roved si nificantl . This is oni a
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convenience for a fairly small, mature neighborhood in the
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• JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 13 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
northwest corner of the intersection of Shady Oak Road and
Highway 7. They already have several other access points into and
out of that neighborhood. She does not see significantly more traffic
on Huntingdon from people not from the neighborhood, when they
have Baker Road and Shady Oak Road to get to Highway 7 and
Minnetonka Boulevard. She asked the county what is expected to
happen further north on Shady Oak Road.
Gustafson indicated the construction limits of this project have
previously been expanded to address some of the concerns
mentioned by the residents tonight, specifically regarding poor site
lines and dips in the roads. Regarding future plans, the Minnetonka
city staff can state there are no future plans for upgrades of Shady
Oak Road to the north. He is also certain the county does not have
any plans; it is not even a provisional projeet. This should be some
assurance that there is nothing planned in the near future for Shady
Oak Road.
Callison asked if the ne�ct step of the process will provide additional
detail about the sightlines of the road or the profile of the road,
which gives a sense of the dips and the valleys. Gustafson stated
. that has already been looked at, and that is what has made the
county decide to push the project further to the north because of
the dips in the road and poor geometrics. That information will be
further reviewed as the project gets further into design. The county
surveyors will likely take survey shots of the driveways on Shady
Oak Road to ensure poor geometrics of both the roadways and
driveways are addressed.
Russell Thomsen, 3933 Shady Oak Road, stated the cost is
definitely a factor in terms of dollars, removal of trees and homes,
as well as 50 years of property tax loss of the homes. Comparing
Williston Road to the north service road makes no sense to him in
terms of the amount of traffic. He also suggested taking care of
Baker Road's current problems first.
The meeting was recessed at 8:38 p.m. The meeting reconvened at
8:48 p.m.
Callison noted she received a note from a resident on Huntingdon
Drive who is concerned about the cul-de-sac and does not feel
comfortable speaking publicly.
• Perry Torvik, 4006 Huntingdon Drive, stated he� attended the initial
meeting with the diagrams and the two options of closing the north
service road or redesigning it. As soon as his neighbors saw the
i
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JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 14 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006 ,;���
diagram, they realized the only way for them to get to eastbound
� Highway 7 is to go to Shady Oak Road. There are only finro ways to
get to Shady Oak Road: the north service road or Huntingdon Drive
up to the stop sign, which is a bad intersection. He has not found
one neighbor who would go along with shutting off the north service
road. He obtained over 100 signatures indicating preference for
keeping it open and redesigning it. There are residents who walk
along the street who do not want the additional 400 to 500 cars a
day. He thanked city staff for all their work.
John Hawkins, 4280 Oak Drive Lane, stated he is concerned about
the roundabout. Various reasons have been stated against it. The ,
increase.in traffic is an assumption. He would like to find out if that
even takes into consideration future businesses going in the area.
! He has heard people talk about what little access they have already
! and how it will be blocked off. He believes a right-in, right-out
'� makes most sense and will save money, allowing the money to be
spent on other projects. He thanked staff for all their time working
on this.
Callison asked Gustafson to comment on whether traffic projections
reflect commercial redevelopment in that area. Gustafson indicated �';
the projections did not, because it is not known what will occur on "�''
these sites in terms of redevelopment. Staff did look at the area and
what is the destination to the west. Most commercial developments
want to be on an arterial road like Shady Oak Road for access
purposes and ease of people finding their businesses. It may be
that some folks in the neighborhood come that direction, and they
will likely continue. If there is a coffee shop, it could draw more
people, but there is not a true destination for people going west on
Oak Drive Lane. There is nothing that should attract them to the
area west of there. After this is built, there will be a nice, safe
access to Shady Oak Road.
Terri Urista, 1169 Bradford Road, stated her concern is noise once
the buildings are taken down. She asked what is planned in terms
of a buffer between the neighborhood and the businesses.
Callison responded the answer to that question will unfold as the
project process unfolds.
Glydewell Burdick, Jr., 201 21 Avenue North, stated last year at
i this time residents were treated to 72 to 96 hours of a significant
; diesel pump running on his front doorstep, attempting to pump out '�'° y
; the Shady Oak Duck Pond to reopen Shady Oak Road and Second
� Street from flooding. He would like not to have that experience
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• JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 15 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
again. That also included a hose line on 21 and a river down the
other side of the hill on 21 He asked whether this project includes
a full solution based on at least a100-year storm to controlling the
water level at the Shady Oak Duck Pond.
Stadler responded the intention is certainly to design for the 100-
year storm event. He remembers the diesel pumps, and Hopkins
does not want to have to do that again. This project will be
designed to prevent that from happening, but there will be more
details as the project moves forward.
Jill Strunk, 4001 Huntingdon Drive, expressed appreciation for this
process where citizens can provide feedback. She stated
Huntingdon was not designed to be a high-traffic street. If 55
percent of the cars move to Huntingdon Drive, that would be an
additional 600 cars a day. North of her home is a hill with a curve,
and it is especially dramatic in the wintertime. There have been a
number of times in the winter where people have slid into her yard.
Rhonda Watkins, 4007 Huntingdon Drive, stated she is opposed to
capping off the north frontage road. She is also concerned about
• the increased traffic on Huntingdon. It is poorly designed as it is
and there are lots of pedestrians and dog walkers on the street.
The only way out of that neighborhood would be at Shady Oak
Road and Huntingdon, which is already a difficult intersection
looking to the north and south.
Maryann Remington, 4234 Oak Drive Lane, stated the current
design provides the best solution. It provides safety for the kids and
the drivers. She is adamantly opposed to people trying to make U-
turns on Lake Street Extension, as she lost a daughter to a U-turn
accident.
Susan Haub, 4020 Shady Oak Road, stated her home may be
acquired with this road design. Her family does not want to move.
They have just remodeled their house, and she is asking the
councils to reconsider this, especially the personal side of the
impacts. She agrees that Lake Street extension should be blocked
off. She does not think there will be increased traffic on Huntingdon.
She does not believe that many people in her neighborhood will
take Huntingdon as a shortcut.
Callison closed the public hearing at 9:05 p.m.
• Schneider stated the north frontage road is one of the most
significant issues the finro city councils are dealing with. It has to
e
JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 16 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006 �,;�;�
improve to change the current configuration, and the only viable �
options he sees is to approve the current layout, which means
taking some homes, or solving the traffic signaling at Baker Road.
He has driven the neighborhood and has observed the traffic
patterns and habits, and he does not see any devastating impacts
on Huntingdon if the left-turn movements on Baker Road can be
resolved. If they cannot be resolved, then Minnetonka should not
do something that creates major safety issues that currently do not
exist. Rather than just saying this is the best option, he proposes
the two councils approve this alignment, unless a better alternative
is found through further study and a more extensive look is taken
regarding what can be done at Baker Road.
Schneider continued the other big issue is whether the county will
approve a light without meeting warrants; that issue needs further
discussion. He understands from the county staff perspective why
they do not want to make an exception in this case, as there are a
number of needs in the county. However, from a policymaker and
taxpayer standpoint, the proposed configuration could potentially
cost $1.5 to $2 million to acquire homes and build roads. It is a
safer solution, but it still includes an access of people making left
turns onto a busy road. That $1.5 to $2 million compared to �'�
$300,000 to $600,000 to resolve the Baker Road issue warrants �`�'"
further study. He is prepared to support the staff s plan because of
all the work that has gone into it, but he proposes ongoing
discussions with the county to further study alternatives to safely
get people onto Baker Road and solve a current problem. He
believes there is time to do this, as it could be done toward the end
of the construction project.
Schneider stated he generally likes the way the project is
developing. One of the problems he always has with acquiring
properties is the true impact tends not to be on the homes that are
being taken, as they are adequately compensated and get a new
home somewhere else; the impact is on the people that are left, as
they have a road closer to them. This plan allows for some
significant buffering and separation that other road projects do not
allow. All in all, the impacts are being mitigated.
Schneider continued that the other issue is Oak Drive Lane and the
roundabout. He thinks the plan can be further refined, but in
principle, it works quite well. He does not buy into some of the
neighbors' sentiments that there will be all kinds of stray vehicles
coming into the neighborhood as a result of it. He understands and .`�""
hears their feelings but does not agree. `
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• JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 17 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
Wagner stated he is pleased with how the project has come along
overall. He noted the Minnetonka and Hopkins Economic
Development Authorities are focused on the businesses that are
impacted, in order to ensure they will continue to operate. He
supports the staff's recommendation of a roundabout for Oak Drive
rather than a right-in, right-out for a long-term solution. He is
troubled by the north frontage road. If the plan proceeds now, there
is a cost dilemma, and if the cities wait, there is a cost dilemma as
the county will not participate in the future. He is less inclined to
fully support this as much as Schneider. He would like to more fu11y
explore the other options, as he does not like the expense of taking
that many homes. He will not hold up the project, as it is a good
project, but that is a concern of his. The change does not justify the
loss in property taxes and the cost of property acquisition.
Ellingson stated he likes roundabouts and they work very well, so
the issue is not whether there should be one. The issue is whether
there should be a connection from the south leg of Oak Drive Lane
to Main Street. There is not much traffic on Oak Drive Lane either
way, and this will not cause an increase. It is just shifting traffic from
the north leg to the south leg. He thinks there are a number of
� reasons not to connect to Main Street. The first is there is a
� separation between the commercial area on Shady Oak Road and
the residential area, and originally the plan was to keep that
separation. Another concern is the change in elevation; it may not
be easy to build a street there. He recalls Schneider being
concerned about people making a U-turn, as there is a median on
Shady Oak Road. That is still a legitimate concern, and perhaps a
sign prohibiting U-turns could be installed. There really is not much
traffic on these streets now, and there is no need to make the
connection to Main Street.
Ellingson brought up the statements expressed during the public
hearing by the VFW's representative regarding how the road
construction will ruin that business. He recalled the impact,on the
businesses on Minnetonka Boulevard when the intersection�of
Hopkins Crossroad and Minnetonka Boulevard was closed. Those
businesses lost business even though their street was not under
construction. They lost business because traffic was restricted and
the project took longer than it was supposed to.
Ellingson added that he read in the paper that businesses shut
down during the Lowry Avenue reconstruction because they lost so
• many customers. In that case, the street was closed off during the
reconstruction, and Shady Oak Road will be kept open during this
construction. The cross streets of Lowry Avenue were kept open,
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; JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 18 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006 F ,,, u
� but still the businesses shut down. Ellingson suggested the city
� acquire the VFW property, even though it is not currently listed on
� the property acquisition list. He does not want to approve this plan .
knowing some businesses will be destroyed.
i
�
; Ellingson stated it is difficult to tell people the city is going to take
people's homes through condemnation. He attended a
neighborhood meeting where this was discussed. Perhaps there is
; some way to work this out so people do not lose their homes. He
� stated all of the accesses to the county roads are overloaded, and
this proposal does not solve that; it simply moves traffic around.
; Callison asked if staff can comment on the property acquisition
� process, specifically as it relates to Ellingson's comments regarding
' the VFW.
;
' Gustafson responded the Hennepin County Community Works
I representative has indicated that acquiring some property th.at is
i not technically needed for the roadway is a possibility. That will be
� addressed as part of the redevelopment and development of this
area.
i t�
Callison stated a business could also choose to relocate entirely. �
�
Gustafson indicated that is correct, and he recalled a Hopkins
council member addressed that at an earlier meeting. Those are
uestions h will
t at be addressed to count staff and the cit staffs at
q Y Y
Minnetonka and Hopkins.
Allendorf stated he thou ht he heard one ossible solution to the
9 p
parking problem was acquiring a parcel contiguous to the VFW.
Gustafson responded that is definitely a possibility. There are
parcels that the city will have to acquire for this project. Counties
may at times look at swapping land, so it could be a permanent
taking from the VFW while supplementing them with land from the
total take, and working out a design that is compatible to both.
AllendorF stated this is a good project, and he believes there are
solutions to those parking and redevelopment issues. He recalled
at the previous study session he was concerned about the U-turns
that would have been created by the right-in, right-outs on the north
side as well as at Main Street. He has to take a U-turn to get into
his neighborhood because the access has been closed off, and he
does not believe a sign prohibiting U-turns will stop people from
making them. He likes the roundabouts as a solution, and hopes r '�"'
when it goes in, there will be some development contiguous to it
because one objective Gustafson laid out was to provide a visual
i
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� JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 19 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
barrier to people coming west on Main Street. That visual barrier
would happen if the roundabout were in line with Main Street rather
than off to the right. That will be taken care of when the
development occurs. Closing off the street and the buffer will be a
benefit to the Oak Drive Lane residents.
AllendorF indicated he would agree with Schneider's suggestion
regarding the north frontage road, if it were not for the fact that the
area has been studied apart from this issue. The solutions seem to
be the three that have been articulated, and out of the three, this
one appeals to him the most. The increase of 600 cars on
Huntingdon is bothersome. The intersection of the off-ramp of
Highway 7 as it hits Baker Road is very difficult currently; the
addition of 450 to 500 cars will make it impossible. He hopes this
will be studied whether this goes ahead as is or not. He thinks this
is a good solution and a good project and will vote for it.
Thomas expressed agreement overall with most of the council's
comments. He believes the roundabout provides an opportunity to
lead people on around the roundabout, not through the
neighborhood, when they realize it will not lead them to the
� commercial buildings. He thinks the idea of the right-in, right-out
would create U-turns and would not be a good idea in that area.
The north frontage road is probably the most difficult issue in the
proposal. He does not want to have people's homes taken, but
upon review of the plan, it is clear change must occur in the area.
The question is obtaining the county support now or doing it without
them in the future.
Callison stated she does not believe the traffic increase to Oak
Drive Lane neighborhood will affect the area that much. It will avoid
. the right-in, right-out, which is not an optimal long-term solution.
The roundabout did evolve out of the last joint study session, where
there was a clear questioning about whether it made sense to cut
off that access. The roundabout will not draw people in, but rather
will make it a special place with some landscaping.
Callison stated the north frontage road is a more difficult issue.
What is unacceptable to her as an alternative is to increase the
traffic on Baker Road or to increase the burden on Huntingdon and
Shady Oak Road. The access should not be cut off unless there is
a way to improve Baker and Huntingdon, and she does not believe
there is a way to improve them. If there was a way, it would be
• under consideration. The cost issues are clearly legitimate, but that
intersection does not work well. She understands if the council feels
it needs to continue to look at more information to be able to say
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JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 20 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006 �,�.�
every possible alternative has been considered. However, that
�
drags the process out and may offer false hope to the property
owners. She wants to be assured this is the only solution, and she
does believe that.
Maxwell stated this process started a year and a half ago, and it
has been important to keep the integrity of the neighborhoods in
Minnetonka and Hopkins, and this plan keeps that. He is willing to
vote for the proposal, as it makes sense, even though it has
created difficult de.cisions for both councils. But the first decision
was to make this a four-lane road rather than a three-lane, and that
does create hard decisions. He supports the Oak Lane Drive
proposal.
Halverson commended the city staffs for the work done so far. She
believes the Oak Lane Drive roundabout will eliminate the U-turn
traffic, which would be dangerous. There may be some gawkers
wanting to try the roundabout when it first opens, but it will not draw
traffic in. She believes the parts in the proposal that affect Hopkins
are the best for its citizens.
Rowan stated it is very important to approve a roadway design for �"'
Shad Oak Road reconstruction toni ht. It would be a traves to �
Y 9 tY
not approve something because of items that do not affect the
roadway. Regarding businesses, he indicated he does not have a
problem with the layout plan, as long as there is clear
understanding it does not preclude the city from further
acquisitions. If the VFW wants to be acquired, they should be
guaranteed that option.
Rowan expressed support for the roundabout. He liked the right-in,
right-out solution until he considered the U-turn possibilities. He
does not think there will be significant extra traffic as a result of
that. He agrees once people realize the access and egress points
have changed, their driving habits will change. He believes the
roadway alignment can be approved tonight without making a
decision on the frontage road. That would be his preference, but he
represents Hopkins and that is in Minnetonka, and the Hopkins
council was not involved in those neighborhood discussions.
Thompson stated last evening the Hopkins council specifically
opted out of discussions regarding the north side of Highway 7, as
it is a Minnetonka decision. However, he finds it frustrating that
i some of that decision may be made based on the county's ,�'°''
unwillingness to participate after the faet. This is a county-driven '�'
project. Some would argue this would not have to be done if the
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JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 21 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
•
main arteries were built to capacity. If it were up to him, he would
rather see the north part completed in phases, cul-de-sac it out,
and see how it develops. There are problems with Baker Road
now; he sympathizes with how Minnetonka will deal with that in this
process. It seems to be an outrageous sum of money to remove a
couple of homes to shift 400 to 500 daily traffic trips that may or
may not be there once Shady Oak Road is improved as it is. Many
traffic studies have been done with different developments, and
many neighborhoods have doubted those studies. However, he
cannot think of a single situation where after the fact the traffic
count numbers have not made sense.
Thompson continued he is confident Main Street will work. It would
be nice if the entire neighborhood would be satisfied with one
solution, but that never happens, and if he lived in that area, he
would have a very strong opinion on any of the options. He
appreciates the staff work put into this project and believes they
have come up with the best solutions, though he still does have
doubts about the north access.
Youakim stated it is difficult to make decisions on parts of the plan,
• as the Hopkins council has not been involved in all the discussions.
Every single time she has been on that frontage road with another
car, they are going to the same place as she is, to West Junior
High. She is not quite convinced the neighborhood will see that
much more traffic, because half of those traffic counts are cut-
through traffic. She believes that is something that needs to be
looked at again.
Youakim continued that it would be nice for the city to acquire the
VFW parcel because there will definitely be an impact as a result of
the construction. If the city does not acquire it, perhaps a developer
may want to acquire the VFW. Trying to redevelop that parcel
without taking the VFW would be difficult. That is something that
needs to be looked at during the redevelopment study. She
expressed support for both legs being right-in, right-out at Oak
Drive Lane rather than the roundabout.
Callison stated she is not aware of any meeting the Minnetonka
council held on this road reconstruction project without involvement
of the Hopkins council, nor is she aware of any discussions where
the two councils have not met jointly and heard the same
information. Youakim noted she was referring to the neighborhood
� meetings.
.
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JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 22 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20 2006
� ��,;�
Callison clarified she believes the Hopkins resolution excludes the
north frontage road. It will be acceptable to the county for their
council to act on that, and then Minnetonka will act on a resolution
slightly different than that. She noted the Hopkins resolution also
includes the roundabout on Oak Drive Lane.
Minnetonka Assistant City Manager Geralyn Barone clarified it is
appropriate for the project to move forward and the preliminary
plans to move forward if the Hopkins resolution is slightly different,
the reason being that they are approving plans that affect the city of
Hopkins, and the north frontage road is not in Hopkins.
Hopkins City Manager Richard Getschow noted there is also a
slight language difference as it relates to the county cost
participation policy. That language is not included in the Hopkins
resolution, but it is in the Minnetonka resolution. It is his
understanding that is acceptable as welL
Youakim asked if there is no way to approve the alignment with the
option of the roundabout, either insert A or insert B before the
Hopkins council, with that decision to be made once the
redevelopment phase begins. Maxwell concurred, noting that gets `�'
into their preliminary plans. They will move forward with the plans
as submitted tonight.
Gustafson clarified that approval of the layout does approve some
type af connection, and it tells the county something is desired in
that area, which in this case is a roundabout. It also tells the county
that right-of way needs to be acquired in that area. If something is
left out, the county will not proceed with any right-of- way
acquisition for that area. If it is handled at a later date, county funds
for acquiring the parcel that now includes the roundabout would not
be acquired as a part of this. Approving tonight tells the county that
the cities want to include it as part of the project and to follow their
standard right-of-way acquisition procedures.
In response to a question by Rowan, Gustafson explained the right-
of-way acquisitions being discussed tonight pertain to the road
improvements, and those have certain funding requirements that
the county is obligated to. If it is approved at a later date, it is
unknown whether there will be any county funding available. This
guarantees both cities that the county will follow its typical funding
policy if that connection is put in.
:�„� �
Schneider noted there are two types of acquisitions. What is being '
done tonight is approving the formal condemnation/appraisal
i'
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JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 23 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
�
process that the county is required to do and limited to do. The
county cannot go out and acquire property that is not needed for a
right-of-way. However, the councils and their EDA's can decide
from a redevelopment standpoint that it may be beneficial to
acquire all of those properties, put them all together, and put them
out for RFPs to developers. That is a very strong likelihood in his
mind that will ultimately happen in this situation.
In response to a question by Youakim, Gustafson explained the
extra parcel needs to be acquired for any extension over Oak Drive
Lane. There is a difference in what is required befinreen having no
connection to Main Street for Oak Drive Lane and having a
connection.
Rowan moved, Halverson seconded a motion to adopt Resolution
2006-059 approvinq lavout 1 for the reconstruction of CSAH 61,
Shadv Oak Road, between Countv Road 3, Excelsior Boulevard,
and Hiqhway 7, authorizinq easement acquisition and imposing a
parkinq ban Rowan, Halverson, Thompson, and Maxwell voted
"yes." Youakim voted "no." Motion carried.
• Wagner stated the Minnetonka council would like further discussion
regarding the north frontage road. There appears to be a division
on the council's thoughts related to that, but there does seem to be
consensus on approving the rest of the project. He would like to
see if the council wants to move forward, put in a cul-de-sac, or
study it and do everything else now. Wagner stated he believes it is
too much to do and would probably be against it, but would like to
hear the rest of the counciPs opinion.
Callison asked staff to comment on Schneider's suggestion for
further study. Gustafson agreed that is something that could easily
be added at a later date because it is the construction of a
residential street out to a major intersection. He understands
Schneider's intent was to approve this and take the next few
months to see whether there are any other options. Gustafson
believes the council could approve it under Schneider's scenario,
spend a couple months looking at it to find other options, and it
would not slow down the process. The eounty would be getting
good direction. The county has heard Hopkins approve the layout,
and Minnetonka can approve the layout as shown in the packet,
with the understanding that more time will be spent looking at other
options.
• Gustafson continued that the fear is, as some council members
suggested, this direction would give false hope to the residents.
.
4
JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 24 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006 ,,,,,
� ;
That is possible, but staff can easily do this and stay in contact with
those residents. He believes the council can pass the resolution
and provide the county clear direction to proceed. The next finro
months are not critical for the county's project, but it is critical to the
city and to these residents.
Twinem asked whether the council is okay with the Shady Oak
' Road alignment north of Highway 7, not considering the access
�
point. The county needs to know that because going forward, there
are partial acquisitions required of these properties. Approval
means the county can study that in more detail as well as whatever
needs to be looked at regarding Baker Road.
Callison noted if the council asks for further study, it is not study of
II � the intersection with Highway 7; it is study of the intersection
�' between the frontage road and Shady Oak Road.
,��
Gustafson concurred and clarified there is acquisition necessary for
these properties anyway, even just for temporary construction
�; easements in someone's front yard. The county staff can continue
to do all their work regarding this acquisition if there is a clear
,,�.
understanding that within the next few months the council comes �
back and says yes or no. That will not slow the county down
because they still have to do title research on all of these
properties.
I �� Thomas suggested the council vote on the actual layout of the
! southern part of Highway 7, have the road layout north of Highway
7 approved, but just make sure all the options for the access points
have been looked at. A time limit can be placed on that research so
affected residents are not led on. He wants to ensure the traffic
counts that are supposed to happen are accurate and that the best
� decision is made regarding the north frontage road. He does want
the county to know the city will move ahead with this project, except
for the decision regarding whether it is a frontage road access or a
cul-de-sac. He suggested leaving those finro things on the table for
finro or three months, deaJing with them at that time, and then it will
be over with.
Schneider stated he generally agrees with that, but he is concerned
about the wording of "tabling," which implies there is no approval of
either one until the study is completed. He is somewhat pessimistic
there will be a solution for Baker Road, but it does need further
study. He does not want to mess up the proje�t timing by not """
formally approving the resolution yet. He suggested not changing �
the wording of the resolution, but also directing staff to spend the
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8
• JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 25 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006
next three months conducting a thorough study on all the
alternatives and then come back and present a solution where
there is no need to acquire the homes.
Allendorf stated he prefers that alternative as well. He asked
Gustafson if the decision has to be made within finro months or if
three would be acceptable to staff and the county. Gustafson
responded he believes the county would be fine within three
months, as there is a lot of work to do.
AllendorF stated he hopes false promise is not being suggested, but
he likes Schneider's idea of taking a look at the solution to Baker
Road. He is bothered by language leaving the cul-de-sac or other
alternatives on the table. He prefers a solution to Baker Road be
the decision point at the end of three months rather than arguing
about things that the council has discussed for three and a half
hours tonight.
Callison suggested the staff focus on if those houses stay, what the
best alternative is that solves the problems at Baker, Shady Oak,
and Huntingdon.
• Schneider moved Allendorf seconded a motion to ado t Resolution
2006-129 reqarding Preliminarv layout approval for Shady Oak
Road Proiect, Excelsior Blvd. to iust north of Hiqhwav 7.
Wagner asked to amend the motion to include that staff will come
back within 90 days with a report on the north frontage road options
and costs associated with those options.
Gustafson suggested allowing staff the entire month of January
rather than just 90 days. Wagner, Schneider, and Allendorf agreed.
Callison clarified the motion includes approving the road moving
slightly further west of the terminus at Excelsior Boulevard; it
includes the roundabout design for Oak Drive Lane; and it includes
what the staff shows on the screen for the north frontage road.
There will be another decision point on the north frontage road, as
staff will bring information back regarding what traffic would look
like in the neighborhood if those homes stayed.
AllendorF, Schneider, Thomas, Wagner, and Callison voted "yes."
Ellingson voted "no." Motion and amendment passed.
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i
a
i JOINT CITY COUNCIL MINUTES PAGE 26 MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 20, 2006 ,;,
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i 4. ADJOURNMENT.
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Maxwell moved, Allendorf seconded a motion to adjourn the meetinq at
10:15 p.m. All voted "yes." Motion carried. .
,
'� Respecifully submitted
i
I
Laura L. Ronbeck
'�, Acting City Clerk
' .
II
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