HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 03/04/2014 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP & OPEN PODIUM
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014 CITY CENTER
5:00—6:25 PM, HERITAGE ROOMS
6:30—7:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBER
CITY COUNCIL: Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Council Members Brad Aho, Sherry Butcher
Wickstrom, Kathy Nelson, and Ron Case
CITY STAFF: City Manager Rick Getschow, Police Chief Rob Reynolds, Fire Chief George
Esbensen, Public Works Director Robert Ellis, Community Development Director Janet Jeremiah,
Parks and Recreation Director Jay Lotthammer, Communications Manager Joyce Lorenz, City
Attorney Ric Rosow, and Recorder Lorene McWaters
Workshop - Heritage Room H
I. SWLRT INVESTMENT FRAMEWORK (TSAAP)
Jeff McMenimen from HGKI presented an update on the Transitional Station Area Action
Plan (TSAAP) process, which spanned 14 months and involved a city by city, station by
station approach, including:
• An initial project charrette
• Issue Resolution Team(IRT) meetings
• Weekly coordination meetings with the Southwest Project Office (SPO)
• Shared advisory committees
• Shared open houses and public events
• Monthly City meetings
Public engagement activities included:
• TSAAP Open Houses
• Listening Sessions
• Neighborhodd, community and interest group meetings/presentations
• PE Open Houses
• Website and e-blasts
• MindMixer forums
The outcome of the TSAAP process is the Southwest Corridor Investment Framework, which
promotes opening day readiness by bridging the gap between current conditions and future
needs. The report addresses:
• Existing conditions
• Station platform locations
• Park and ride sites
• Future development potential and development character
• Access and circulation planning
• Infrastructure planning
• Stormwater management options for selected stations including Mitchell Rd
City Council Workshop Minutes
March 4, 2014
Page 2
McMenimen reviewed recommended improvements for each of Eden Prairie's five proposed
stations: City West, Golden Triangle, Town Center, Southwest Station, and Mitchell. The
report contains three levels of opening day station area improvements:
1. Southwest LRT Anticipated Base Project Scope
2. Southwest Corridor Investment Framework (TSAAP)
3. Southwest LRT Locally Requested Betterments
Mayor Tyra-Lukens asked what items the project office is paying for. McMenimen said that
information is included in the complete report document. He said cities may have to pay
upfront for some betterments that may later be reimbursed. Regarding the City West Station,
Council Member Nelson asked if the City's successful negotiation with UHG to dedicate
land for LRT is being factored into the equation when considering the list of betterments.
Jeremiah said staff has reminded the Southwest Project Office that City agreements with
property owners have saved acquisition costs. McMenimen said Eden Prairie staff has been
fairly assertive in requesting betterments, and at this point the list of betterments has been
accepted by the Project Office.
Nelson said she does not necessarily agree with the amount of land that is proposed to be
converted to residential in the area of the Golden Triangle Station. She said that could result
in the elimination of a lot of jobs. Mayor Tyra-Lukens said she agreed with Nelson.
Community Development Director Janet Jeremiah noted that the Comp Plan calls for mixed-
use development in the Golden Triangle,but that staff is not trying to push business out
anywhere. She said there may be an opportunity to develop some housing as in-fill. Mayor
Tyra-Lukens said she definitely wants to make sure there is a balance of housing with the
commercial/industrial base. Jeremiah said this is one reason staff is concerned with
proposals to end the line in such a valuable commercial area, since it would require using a
lot of land for parking.
Nelson asked McMenimen for more information on how much seating will be provided at
each station and whether or not it will be covered. He said some covered seating will be
provided,but final details have not been developed yet. Additional seating,bike shares, etc.,
will be included in the list of betterments. Jeremiah said the City has the option of including
certain conditions for stations at the time of municipal consent.
Jeremiah said the report has been presented as an informational item at a Planning
Commission. It will go back before the Planning Commission on March 24 or April 14 and
the City Council on April 22. Hennepin County has requested that the City take some sort of
formal action on the document. Jeremiah said that could be anything from approving the
report or simply accepting the report. Jeremiah said the City can also make formal comments
on the report at that time if it wishes, since Hennepin County sees this as a"living
document," that will be undergoing revision.
Tyra-Lukens asked what the City would be committing to by formally accepting the report.
Jeremiah said the City would not be committing to any land use actions,but would be
agreeing that certain investments should be made as far as seeking grant funding.
Open Podium - Council Chamber
City Council Workshop Minutes
March 4, 2014
Page 3
II. OPEN PODIUM
III. ADJOURNMENT