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06/04/1996 - City Council Special MINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE 06103 • EAGAN CITY COUNCIL Eagan, Minnesota June 4, 1996 A Special workshop meeting of the Eagan City Council was held on June 4, 1996 at 5:00 p.m. Present were Mayor Tom Egan and City Councilmembers Pat Awada, Shawn Hunter, Sandy Masin and Ted Wachter. Also present were Finance Director VanOverbeke, Parks & Recreation Director Vraa and City Administrator Hedges. FISH LAKE CHEMICAL PRECIPITANT DOSING PROPOSAL Water Resources Coordinator Brasch reviewed the diagnostic feasibility study for Fish Lake which is a strategy designed to reduce phosphorous loadings to the lake in order to improve water quality. In addition to reviewing the major findings of the study,Mr.Brasch identified two immediate issues associated with the Fish Lake dosing station. He stated that the principal regulatory issues related to the water quality standards were aluminum. He further discussed the proposed rate of alum injection necessary to treat the water for an adequate aluminum level. Mr.Brasch explained another option is to request that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency change the aluminum standard that applies to Pond JP-47 and Fish Lake. He further stated that it is uncertain whether MPC would revise the aluminum standard. He further commented that another related regulatory issue is whether the accumulation of floc in Pond JP-47 would require mitigation. His suggestion regarding this issue was submittal of a concrete proposal in the form of a permit application to the MPCA. • Mr. Brasch further discussed the cost/financial issues and project options by presenting four alternatives. Mr. Brasch stated the first alternative involves the use of alum alone and assumes excavation and use upon Pond JP-47 for the primary floc settling basin. He reported that alternative two is the same as the first alternative, except that a coagulant aid is added to improve settling of alum floc and removal of aluminum prior to discharge to Fish Lake. He stated that alternative three assumes that an upland pond is constructed on vacant land to the east of Pond JP-47. Mr.Brasch offered a final alternative which is the same as alternative three but includes the coagulant aid,which again increases both the capital costs and annual O&M costs. After receiving comments from Steve Thompson, a member of the natural resources subcommittee of the APRNRC which supports the alternatives and recommendation presented by Water Quality Resources Coordinator Brasch,the City Council discussed a proposed strategy. After further discussion by the City Council,there was a consensus based on the presentation, that consideration be given at the June 4 regular City Council meeting to approve and execute a Minnesota Clean Water Partnership Project implementation loan agreement and the necessary resolutions for the Fish Lake Phase II Implementation Project. In summary,Water Quality Resources Coordinator Brasch reminded the City Council that the City was awarded a $152,857 zero interest loan to finance design and construction of a system to remove phosphorous from inflows to Fish Lake using a chemical precipitant. He further stated that the Minnesota PCA has indicated the City must execute the loan agreement by July 1, 1996 or the loan offer will be rescinded. City Councilmember Masin expressed some concerns about adding chemicals and their impact on the water quality. RICHARD HOLZ PROPERTY City Administrator Hedges stated that staff was given direction at the May 20 City Council 111 meeting to retain a realtor to negotiate the Richard Holz property, determine whether the parcel can be Page 2/EAGAN SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING June 4, 1996 subdivided and prepare a financial analysis of the purchase price, subdivision costs and sale price if the buildings are to be sold and moved from the site. Director of Parks & Recreation Vraa reviewed options that range from acquiring the entire parcel,proposing a land swap between the Richard Holz property and a portion of Holz Farm Park and,finally,acquisition of the adjoining parcel owned by Roger Weierke to provide additional land to the existing 16 foot wide easement that exists on the west side of the Richard Holz property. The Director of Parks & Recreation provided a photo board that shows the parcel and existing conditions. City Councilmember Wachter stated that he is in support of buying the entire 1.14 acres from Richard Holz. He stated that the property would provide a better access to Holz Farm Park, provide land area for a parking lot and provide the City a rental property with future development options if the house and garage are to be sold in future years. City Councilmember Awada stated that access is the main issue, not the acquisition of additional property and proposed that the City contact Roger Weierke, the adjacent property owner, and propose to purchase 20 feet of property adjacent to the City's 16 foot roadway access. Michael Vincent, a member of the APRNRC, asked if the City could purchase the property, prepare the necessary easements for roadway and access and a parking lot, and later sell the property as suggested by City Councilmember Wachter. Lee Markel)appeared,representing the Holz Farm task force,and stated that the task force is highly recommending the City acquire the Richard Holz property. City Councilmember Hunter stated that access has been the main issue and agreed with City Councilmember Awada that every alternative should be considered for the purpose of acquiring the necessary property for roadway access and could not support the acquisition of the entire Richard Holz property at a cost of approximately $130,000 for 1.14 acres. • Mayor Egan also stated that the issue is access, not acquisition. He stated that he would agree to acquiring the necessary property for right-of-way, but not for expanding the land area of Holz Farm Park. City Councilmember Wachter again presented an argument for the acquisition of the entire Richard Holz parcel, stating that the City would not regret owning the property for future uses as Holz Farm Park continues to develop in future years. City Councilmember Masin stated that the existing parking lot is not acceptable at Holz Farm Park. She expressed a desire to acquire the entire Richard Holz property for the reasons stated by Councilmember Wachter at a cost of$120,000,which is an approximate mid-point between the City's appraised value and a counteroffer by Richard Holz. Mayor Egan indicated there is a majority consensus, which will be ratified as a part of the Consent Agenda at the June 4 regular City Council meeting. City Administrator Hedges stated that it is his understanding that the majority consensus includes the City negotiating approximately 20 feet of land from Roger Weierke for roadway access or negotiating the minimum roadway access from Richard Holz. A third alternative would be to negotiate Concept A,which is a land swap with a portion of the existing Holz Farm Park, with Richard Holz. Mayor Egan acknowledged that these three alternatives are,in fact,the majority consensus for staff direction. ACC CONTRACT/SECOND ICE SHEET City Administrator Hedges stated that, in response to the City Council direction at the May 20 meeting,the Director of Parks & Recreation has provided a copy of a pro forma that addresses the projected budget for the Eagan Civic Arena second ice sheet and a debt analysis of the ice arena gross revenue bonds. City Councilmember Hunter commented on the debt analysis,asking questions relative to the data provided by Springsted. • Page 3/EAGAN SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING "4 ` • June 4, 1996 City Councilmembers were appreciative of the information and Mayor Egan acknowledged that this item would also appear on the Consent Agenda for the June 4 regular City Council meeting. OUTDOOR WARNING SIREN SYSTEM Chief of Police Geagan and Administrative Assistant Southom appeared and discussed the need to provide enhancements to the existing outdoor warning siren system and further provided a history on the system, explaining how locations were selected, the fact that all the sirens are powered by electricity and that four additional siren sites have been identified which will provide optimum coverage for the City. Particularly, the outside activity areas and housing areas added since the sirens were installed in 1982 were addressed. Administrative Assistant Southom stated that the sirens to be installed in the four recommended sites are battery operated with built-in charging systems which will provide the redundancy necessary to ensure warning under any situation. He stated that in order to acquire the additional four sirens as battery operated sirens, the cost is estimated at approximately$60,000. City Administrator Hedges stated that this amount is not budgeted in the operating or capital budget for 1996 and recommended either the City's fund balance or contingency budget if the City Council proceeds with the outdoor warning siren enhancement program. After discussion, there was concurrence by the City Council that the four additional sites are necessary and the City should proceed with the battery operated option. Mayor Egan stated that the May 19 storm helped bring this issue to the attention of both the Police Department and City Council and agreed that the sirens should be acquired as an emergency expenditure. He further stated that the item would be placed • on the Consent Agenda for the June 4 regular City Council meeting. OTHER BUSINESS There were no additional business items presented. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m. June 4, 1996 Date City Clerk TLH •