04/29/1980 - City Council Special
Unn,
MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE EAGAN CITY COUNCIL
EAGAN, MINNESOTA
APRIL 29, 1980
A special meeting of the Eagan City Council was held on April 29,
1980 at 7:00 p.m. at the Eagan City Hall. Those present were Mayor Blomquist,
Councilmembers Egan, Smith, Wachter and Parranto. Also present were Public
Works Director Colbert and City Administrator Hedges.
1-494 TRUNK HIGHWAY #55
Public Works Director Colbert introduced certain representatives
of the Minnesota Department of Transportation and a representative of Contract
Beverages who were all present to discuss plans and specifications for the re-
construction and improvement of Highway #55 as it relates to the 1-494 construc-
tion between Bloomington and Trunk Highway 55 in the the City of Eagan. Mr.
John Sandall, representing the Minnesota Department of Transportation, stated
that alternatives as reviewed by the City Council at their April 15, 1980 meeting
were reviewed with representatives of the Federal Highway Administration and
Minnesota Department of Transportation, and it is the feeling of both agencies
that there should be no change in the original plans and specifications that
are scheduled for a bid letting on May 9, 1980. Mr. Joe Walker, president of
Contract Beverages, was present and stated that he has some severe safety pro-
blems for his employees working at Contract Beverages if there is no parking
adjacent to his property. Doug Differt, District 9 Engineer for MnDOT, stated
that representatives of MnDOT and the Federal Highway Administration do not
like having an opening in the median or limiting the access for future develop-
ment of property to the north of T.H. 55. Mr. Differt stated that the section
as proposed by MnDOT must be constructed to accomodate the 1-494 opening as
scheduled. Mr. Walker proposed a signal for T.H. 55 if an access is allowed
to Contract Beverages. Mr. Differt stated that if a signal is installed, 50%
of the cost would be assessed to the City and 50% of the cost absorbed by the
State of Minnesota. After considerable discussion on the matter and in a motion
by Smith, seconded by Egan, with Mayor Blomquist and City Councilmembers Smith,
Egan and Parranto voting aye and City Councilmember Wachter voting nay, the
Minnesota Department of Transportation was asked to consider another median
opening on T.H. 55 to accommodate Contract Beverages and further would accept
either of the alternate plans as a recommendation to the Federal Highway Admini-
stration and Minnesota Department of Transportation for consideration. Mr.
Differt stated that a meeting would be set for Monday, May 5, 1980, at which
time the City staff, members of the City Council, representatives of Contract
Beverages, any other affected property owners and MnDOT could meet with a repre-
sentative of the Federal Highway Administration to discuss the various alterna-
tives. It was decided that a final decision on the plans and specifications
for the 1-494 T.H. #55 project as proposed by the Minnesota Department of
Transportation would be reviewed at the May 6, 1980 City Council meeting.
OC 7
City Council Minutes
April 29, 1980
Page Two
CONSOLIDATED STREET FINANCING FUND
The City Council met with staff members to discuss the Consolidated
Street Financing Fund that was reviewed previously by the City Council earlier
in 1980. The City Administrator introduced the topic and the Director of Finance
discussed sources of funding for street improvements including improvement
bonding, assessments intended to pay debt service, Minnesota State Aid bonding,
and road and bridge financing and the road unit charge. Public Works Director
Colbert reviewed the major streets proposed to be completed for the year 1980
through the year 1984 and indicated the recommendation of 1980 to be as follows:
Pilot Knob Road; 1-494 to Yankee Doodle Road; Silver Bell Road easterly from
Cedar Ave.; Wescott Road easterly to Lexington Avenue; Johnny Cake Ridge Road
northerly to County Road #30; Deerwood Drive easterly to Pilot Knob Road; Wilder-
ness Run Road easterly to Dodd Road. Public Works Director Colbert also reviewed
the other proposals through the year 1984 consisting primarily of County Roads
and also discussed the Municipal State Aid Bonding Program which would guarantee
payments to debt service from future state aid funds with an interest rate of
8% per year. The income projections for the various sources of street improve-
ments were reviewed and there was considerable discussion concerning proposed
maintenance of streets in the City. A letter drafted by the Consulting En-
gineering Firm of Bonestroo, Rosene, Anderlik and Associates, dated April 14,
1980, concerning Cedar Grove area street restoration was discussed at length.
The recommendation made by the City staff was that 20% of maintenance costs
be funded from assessments and 80% from the Major Street Fund.
Councilmember Parranto recommended greater emphasis on street main-
tenance and use of the major street fund with diversion of the funds from the
proposed major street construction fund so as to keep up with annual mainte-
nance requirements. He recommended that there be an analysis of all new street
improvements but that maintenance proposals be reviewed initially. There were
strong objections from some City Councilmembers concerning the $100 per lot
assessment for maintenance because of the potential increase in unit costs and
the recommendation that developers should cover deficits in funding because
of the use of the Major Street Fund for building collector streets that are
not needed at the present time. Premature construction of collector streets
at the request of developers was an issue with certain Councilmembers. It was
noted that $70,000 was budgeted for seal coating in 1980 and the City Engineer
stated that approximately $200,000 would be required to maintain the existing
streets in a five year seal coating program. There was further discussion con-
cerning the possibility of assessing the benefited homeowners for maintenance
costs of streets and also assessing streets improved with state aid funding
and those that are being constructed by the Minnesota Department of Transporta-
tion. The City Council scheduled a further special meeting for May 13, 1980,
at 7:00 p.m. at the City Hall to discuss, among other things, the major street
construction program and maintenance program for existing streets.
City Council Minutes
April 29, 1980
Page Three
RAHN ROAD
Mayor Blomquist moved, City Councilmember Egan seconded, with all
members voting in favor, a motion that the staff determine the responsible par-
ties for the damage to Rahn Road during the construction of Meadowlands Addition
and that the responsible parties be requested to pay for the reconstruction
of the damaged curb and street.
PARK AND RECREATION DIRECTOR
City Administrator Hedges gave the City Council an update concerning
the progress for the selection and hiring of the City of Eagan Parks and Recre-
ation Director. No action was taken.
ADJOURNMENT
Upon motion duly made and seconded, the meeting adjourned at 11:45
p.m.
DATED: April 29, 1980 TLH
City Clerk