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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWK August 28, 2007 ~.~ w-u H-t/) t1-t ~-()7 0 1685 CROSSTOWN BOULEVARD N.W. . ANDOVER, MINNESOTA 55304. (763) 755-5100 FAX (763) 755-8923 . WWW.CI.ANDOVER.MN.US City Council Workshop Tuesday, August 28, 2007 Conference Rooms A & B 1. Call to Order - 6:00 p.m. 2. Update from Coon Creek Watershed District - Engineering 3. Discuss Non-Degradation (NPDES)/06-49/Wenck Associates, Inc. - Engineering 4. Discuss Riverside Pipeline Project - Engineering 0 5. Comprehensive Plan Review of Sewer and Land use Sections 6. 2008-2012 CIP Progress Report & Discussion 7. 2008 Operating Budget Progress Report & Discussion 8. 2008 Tax Levy Discussion 9. Other Business 10. Adjournment 0 C I T Y o F 0 NDOVE ANDOVER CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP-AUGUST 28,2007 MINUTES The Workshop of the Andover City Council was called to order by Acting Mayor Ken Orttel, August 28,2007, 6:06 p.m., at the Andover City Hall, 1685 Crosstown Boulevard NW, Andover, Minnesota Councilmembers present: Mike Gamache, Mike Knight, Julie Trude Councilmember absent: Don Jacobson Also present: City Administrator Jim Dickinson Community Development Director, Will Neumeister Director of Public Works/City Engineer, David Berkowitz Others UPDATE FROM COON CREEK WATERSHED DISTRICT 0 Mr. Tim Kelly and Joe Marvin from the Coon Creek Watershed District (CCWD) updated the City Council on activities within the CCWD. Mr. Kelly indicated he could see in the future joint meetings between city councils and the Watershed District to discuss policies to bring forward to the State. Councilmember Orttel asked if they will be treating run off. Mr. Kelly indicated this will become more complicated and may become less expensive. They have taken the step in the budget for next year to look at landscaping for volume control. They are now at the level of sophistication to factor in trees. Councilmember Trude appreciated the articles they have been doing for their community in the newsletter. Councilmember Orttel wondered if it was better to have the wetland in one parcel or to divide it into separate lots when making a development. Mr. Kelly stated it is a tradeoff. If the wetland is platted as an outlot you invariably get dumping. If it is subdivided as part of the lot, you have the possibility of getting encroachment. Mayor Gamache arrived at 6:15 p.m. 0 Councilmember Knight wondered how much cooperation they have with the Lower Rum River District. Mr. Kelly indicated they do not have a lot of communication. There is no real close collaboration on projects. Mr. Berkowitz stated the Watershed staffbrings a realistic look to water resources. Mr. Kelly 0 Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes-August 28,2007 Page 2 has worked hard lobbying the MPCA. DISCUSS NON-DEGRADATION (NPDES)/06-49/WENCK ASSOCIATES, INC. The City has contracted with Wenck Associates, Inc. to prepare the City's Nondegradation Assessment as required by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). This is part of the City's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Phase II permit. Diane Spector, Joe Bischoff and Ed Matthiesen of Wenck Associates, Inc. were present at the meeting and presented the assessment information to the Council. Councilmember Trude thought soil made a difference in the model. She wondered if they change the model to the different soils in each community. Mr. Berkowitz indicated the model is changed to reflect this. Mr. Kelly explained what type of model they used in Andover. to come up with their calculations. 0 Councilmember Knight asked if they took into consideration the areas that have wells and not sewer. It was noted the model uses strictly storm water runoff in all of the land within the City and wells and sewers do not come into the calculation. Councilmember Knight asked if the effect on well water is factored into this. Ms. Spector indicated it is not. Mr. Berkowitz stated the City has a separate plan for this. Councilmember Orttel wondered if there is any way to contain runoff. Ms. Spector stated they can start to reduce runoff volume from developments by use of infiltration swales, rain gardens, and reforestation. Councilmember Knight wondered if cities are encouraging rain gardens and infiltration swales. Mr. Berkowitz stated they are but cities need to decide how to maintain them and who will maintain them. Councilmember Trude wondered if a rain garden and infiltration swale would take up more acreage in a development. Mr. Kelley indicated they could depending on how well the area is developed and maintained. Ms. Spector stated the first recommendation for reducing Total Phosphorus (TP) is to work with 0 watersheds to evaluate potential regulatory changes and their adequacy for increasing TP removal. If regulation cannot reduce load increases, then consider retrofitting BMPs as opportunities arise. As a result they could need staff training and education on volume management and low impact development, promote tree planting on public and private land and incorporate BMP's into city projects as opportunities arise. 0 Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - August 28, 2007 Page 3 Mayor Gamache wondered if they need to indicate how many trees, rain gardens or infiltration swales they are going to do in their Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). Ms. Spector stated they could be as detailed as they want but the MPCA is looking for as much detail as possible. Councilmember Trude hoped they could have some watershed perspective on their Rural Reserve development when that happens. Councilmember Knight asked if they have found that developers are going along with these changes. Ms. Spector indicated they are. She said they are becoming aware and trained on the changes and what needs to be done with their developments. Councilmember Trude thought once they have these waterways established they need to enforce them and make sure they are not destroyed. Councilmember Orttel wondered what their penalty would be if they did not do anything to improve this. Ms. Spector stated they need to have a plan in place and demonstrate it will feasibly improve these issues. 0 Councilmember Orttel stated he likes the concept but he wondered what the costs would be. He thought that the lots would have to bigger and the streets smaller to do this. Mr. Kelly stated a larger lot is not necessarily automatic because there are other ways with proper planning of a development. DISCUSS RIVERSIDE PIPELINE PROJECT Construction of the Riverside Pipeline in Andover is scheduled to begin in the spring of2008. It has been determined that Northern Natural Gas & CenterPoint Energy need to acquire property and/or easements to properly construct the project. Ms. Liz Babcock, Northern Natural Gas made a presentation to the Council. She stated they are looking for additional land to provide an area for Northern Natural Gas to construct a facility. Councilmember Trude stated when they take away the land in the ballpark along with other park land would they be willing to purchase land across the street which is low land as a trade or swap for a soccer field. Ms. Babcock indicated she could bring this to the committee as a request. Councilmember Trude stated the outfields are a loss to their community because they are being used in the spring, summer and fall for the sports activities. 0 Ms. Babcock explained to the Council what items will be new at the location. Mr. Berkowitz stated Northern Natural Gas would like to take that land and use it as a permanent easement. Councilmember Trude thought by taking more land, they are losing more park land and the comer will not be useable and the shelter will be used less. She thought once an area is put inside a fence it 0 Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes-August 28,2007 Page 4 cannot be used and will be a loss to the community. Councilmember Trude wondered if there will be screening from the neighborhood. Ms. Babcock indicated there would. Councilmember Trude thought there should also be screening from the park. Mr. Berkowitz stated Northern Natural Gas has allowed them to provide additional parking on the south side of the existing building. Councilmember Trude stated she would like to see screening on the west side of this. Mr. Berkowitz stated the direction they are looking at tonight if this is agreeable to start the condemnation process and bring back a landscaping plan for the Council to review. Mayor Gamache thought there should be discussion on the price along with planting additional trees. Councilmember Orttel wondered if there is anything else that could be placed in the area. Ms. Babcock stated it could but they did not have any plans for anything else to go in there. Mr. Dickinson indicated once the utility company has the property the land becomes taxable. 0 Ms. Babcock thought if the City wants to have an agreement for additional parking that could be put in the plans. Councilmember Orttel thought that was a good idea Councilmember Trude requested the Park Commission look at this before the Council approves it. Mr. AI Swintek, CenterPoint Energy, introduced Jean Krouse, Scott Stinger, Pro Source, and Jerry Culstrom, Senior Engineer to the Council. Mr. Scott Stinger made a presentation to the Council regarding the proposed pipeline. Mr. Berkowitz asked if they have been working with landowners for temporary easements. Mr. Stinger stated they will be starting to do this. Councilmember Orttel wondered how long it will take for construction. Mr. Culstrom stated it would be a month to six weeks. Councilmember Trude wondered if they could get signage and notification for the construction and trail closures. Mr. Swintek stated in addition to the easements they are looking to purchase is that something that is unique to public utilities is they pay personal property tax which is based on the value of the pipe in the ground, estimated annual tax of $60,000. 0 The Council was in agreement that both proposals are ok with them, but negotiation of price and landscaping should continue! Mr. Holasek wondered if this will be considered a transmission or distribution line. Mr. Culstrom indicated this will be a transmission line. 0 Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - August 28, 2007 Page 5 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REVIEW OF SEWER AND LAND USE SECTIONS The land use and sewer chapters are scheduled for review. These chapters are the basis of the plan and influence many of the details of the rest of the plan. The intent has been to update the conditions that have changed and the projections for the future, but not to make major changes to the policies that have been in place for many years. One of these items is the potential for future expansion of the MUSA beyond the Rural Reserve. The Council discussed with staff Agricultural Preserve. Council indicated they would like to have Agricultural Preserve reflected on the current map. Councilmember Orttel noted on page 18, it shows 3.6 units per acre for density and he wondered if the Met Council would accept that or will they consider 3.6 a mandatory number to build to. Mr. Neumeister stated it is shown that way in the previous plan. He noted a lot of information is a repeat of where they are. 0 Councilmember Knight stated they have had one constant problem and that is highway and streets. He stated there is no plan for highways in the Comprehensive Plan. They do not have any State Highways and their problem is not having enough public roadways for the density. Mr. Neumeister stated they did send a memo regarding this to the Met Council and they have not heard back. Councilmember Trude stated they may want to add a goal to encourage housing stock that is locally marketable but not burdensome to our limited transportation network, which compliments natural amenities. She stated this would be looking at wetlands, and the burdens of the local network system. Mr. Dickinson stated if they did get a State Highway, the most likely candidates would be Hanson Boulevard or Round Lake Boulevard. Councilmember Trude thought they might want to list churches, schools and neighborhood parks in the residential areas along with open spaces in the definitions. She likes the rewritten goals. She thought they could add another place for a transition for a buffer between zoning districts. The wording could state "ensure transitions or a buffer between zoning districts to maintain property values in existing districts." She also thought when they do an amendment that it does not degrade existing infrastructure, which means the roads. She thought this is something they should look at when doing the Comprehensive Plan Amendment. 0 Councilmember Trude also thought they should do a transportation study when they have a housing development that is more than fifty acres. Councilmember Trude stated on the middle of page 8, above the goal regarding redevelopment of existing industrial zones to accommodate industrial development, she wants to add "upgrading sites 0 Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - August 28, 2007 Page 6 to diversify their tax base". They need to have a more varied tax base. She also thought they could add in this section "adding additional areas for commercial development to ensure all areas of the community have access to retail." If the Rural Reserve does develop they would want to see some sort of retail development. They could set another goal for that. Councilmember Orttel did not know if he likes the sentence. Councilmember Trude thought this would be a goal that would not involve housing because all of their goals are about housing. She reworded the sentence to state "adding additional areas for commercial development." Mr. Berkowitz reviewed the updated sewer plan with the Council. Mr. Berkowitz asked the Council if they want to have the northeast part of the city put in the plan as a proposed area for additional MUSA capacity. He thought they should submit what they want to develop currently and go back for authorization if they want more development in the future. Councilmember Orttel thought they should include the Hughs Industrial area in the plan along with the small area of development. 0 Councilmember Trude would like them to be a little flexible along 157th and Round Lake Boulevard for expansion. Mr. Berkowitz stated they will automatically upsize the pipe in the Rural Reserve to accommodate expansion but they need to show how much additional MUSA they will need for the Met Council. Councilmember Orttel thought they should go with 3.3 MGD and see if they will let them expand if needed in the future. Councilmember Knight stated they have the housing issue and a definite population drop that were not present five years ago. Mr. Berkowitz stated they figured those into their plans. 2008-2012 CIP PROGRESS REPORT & DISCUSSION Staff continues working on the 2008-2012 CIP. Work on cash flows for the utility funds and other infrastructure is ongoing and will continue until the CIP is complete. Relative to capital equipment, staffhas conducted a comprehensive review of the condition of capital equipment to ensure that the most cost-effective replacement schedule is followed. Equipment is to be replaced on the basis of a cost benefit analysis rather than a year based replacement schedule. Council concurred on the 2008 capital equipment items presented by staff. 0 Councilmember Knight asked when they replace motor vehicles how they are defining cost benefit. Mr. Dickinson explained how they determine this. Councilmember Trude wondered if they are staggering out Fire Trucks depending on the cost benefit. Mr. Dickinson explained how they are staging the equipment to achieve the best benefit to 0 Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - August 28, 2007 Page 7 the City. Mr. Dickinson also asked the Council to authorize staff to start with specifications for equipment with long lead times. Council consensus was given. 2008 OPERATING BUDGET PROGRESS REPORT & DISCUSSION City Administration is now prepared to present to the Council the proposed tax supported 2008 Annual Operating Budget and tax levy. Also each year the City Council is required by state law to approve a preliminary budget and submit a preliminary levy certification to Anoka County Property Records and Taxation Division by September 15,2007. Administration will be seeking input from the City Council on the proposed budget and tax levy as the meeting for the Council to set the preliminary budget and preliminary levy is September 4, 2007. Councilmember Trude thought when the people voted for the levy they thought that stood outside of the budget so if that stood outside their budget, what would their tax capacity rate be. Mr. Dickinson stated they would be remaining constant and achieving their budget guidelines. Councilmember 0 Trude thought that with the open space, people that wanted that and voted for that indicated they would vote for a tax increase and that is an important part of the Truth in Taxation presentation. Mr. Dickinson stated they could certainly make this a part of the presentation. The biggest reason the tax is increasing is because of the open space referendum and commitment to public safety. Councilmember Trude stated she would hate to see the Open Space Commission strapped if they see some land they want to purchase because they are trying to keep this low budget including that within the budget. Mr. Dickinson stated that would not be a problem because the City would front the cost and then reimburse at the time they issue the bond. He stated they can issue the bond , without a tax levy and then they can do it one year subsequent with a levy if they would upfront the capitalized interest in the first year and they would be able to recoup that in a subsequent bond. Mr. Dickinson discussed various staff budget cuts and increases within the City and departments. Mr. Dickinson indicated Youth First is looking to provide a 40 week enriching after school program at the Community Center in the amount of $53,940 and he would like Council direction. Councilmember Knight stated he would like to do some of this but he did not think they would need $53,000. He thought this could be cut down because he did not think they would need laptops, snacks or some of the other things requested. 0 Councilmember Orttel wondered where the money would come from. Mr. Dickinson stated they would need to look at the Charitable Gambling Fund. Councilmember Knight thought they could cut the amount in half. Mayor Gamache asked if Mr. Dickinson could find out from Anoka what they do and how much they pay for a program. 0 Regular Andover City Council Meeting Minutes - August 28, 2007 Page 8 2008 TAX LEVY DISCUSSION The Council has had a number of reviews of the 2008 Proposed Budget that will be supported by the 2008 Tax Levy. Also each year the City Council is required by state law to approve a preliminary budget and submit a preliminary levy certification to Anoka County Property Records and Taxation Division by September 15, 2007. Administration is seeking input from the City Council on the proposed budget and tax levy as the meeting for the Council to set the preliminary budget and preliminary levy is September 4,2007 and is basically the staff report. Council liked what was presented in the staff report. OTHER BUSINESS 0 Mr. Dickinson stated they will be setting the Truth in Taxation date. Last year it was added to a regular City Council meeting. The Council indicated that was fine and preferred that. Motion by Knight, Seconded by Orttel, to adjourn. Motion carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Susan Osbeck, Recording Secretary 0