HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution - 2015-91 - Southwest Light Rail Transit Municipal Consent - 09/15/2015 CITY OF EDEN PRAIRIE
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION NO. 2015-91
A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PHYSICAL DESIGN COMPONENT OF THE
REVISED PRELIMINARY DESIGN PLANS FOR THE
SOUTHWEST LIGHT RAIL PROJECT
WITHIN THE CITY OF EDEN PRAIRIE
WHEREAS, The Governor designated the Metropolitan Council ("Council") as the
responsible authority for the Southwest Light Rail Transit Project ("Project"), which makes it
responsible for the planning, designing, acquiring, constructing and equipping the Project; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes Section 473.3994 allows cities and counties along a
proposed light rail route to provide input to the Council on the physical design component of the
preliminary design plans; and
WHEREAS, on July 14, 2014, the Eden Prairie City Council adopted a resolution
approving preliminary design plans for the Southwest Light Rail project which included five
stations in Eden Prairie including Mitchell Station and Town Center Station; and
WHEREAS, on July 22, 2015, the Council submitted the physical design component of
the revised preliminary design plan ("Plans") to the governing body of each statutory and home
rule charter city, county and town in which the route is proposed to be located; and
WHEREAS, the revised Plans have been modified to account for the elimination of
Mitchell Station and the deferment of Town Center Station; and
WHEREAS, public hearings are then required, which the City of Eden Prairie held on
September 15, 2015; and
WHEREAS, within 45 days of a joint hearing held by the Council and the Hennepin
County Regional Rail Authority ("HCRRA"), which was held on August 27, 2015, the City of
Eden Prairie must review and approve or disapprove the Plans for the route to be located in the
City of Eden Prairie; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota Statutes Section 473.3994 provides that "a local unit of
government that disapproves the plans shall describe specific amendments to the plans that, if
adopted, would cause the local unit to withdraw its disapproval;" and
WHEREAS, approval or disapproval by the City of Eden Prairie is part of the statutory
preliminary design process; and
WHEREAS, City staff has reviewed the Plans and has provided comments on these
Plans; and
WHEREAS, the City of Eden Prairie will work with the Council throughout the design
and construction process; and
WHEREAS, the City of Eden Prairie desires that the Council and its staff continue to
work with the City of Eden Prairie staff to evaluate improvements identified as Locally
Requested Capital Investment ("LRCIs") recognizing that the implementation of this investment
will require the identification of funding during the advanced design of the Project.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
EDEN PRAIRIE, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL FINDS, DETERMINES, AND ORDERS
AS FOLLOWS:
1. The City of Eden Prairie provides its municipal approval of the Plans pursuant to
Minnesota Statutes Section 473.3994 consistent with the above.
2. The City of Eden Prairie staff is directed to submit the City of Eden Prairie's
approval to the Metropolitan Council.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City identifies the following issues as outstanding and
declares that this consent is granted based on the City's full faith and trust in the Metropolitan
Council's commitment to arrive at a resolution satisfactory to the City on the following issues:
1. Minimize disruption to businesses, residents, SouthWest Transit services,
vehicular traffic, pedestrian traffic, and City parks during construction through
innovative practices.
2. Provide frequent communication with the public during design and construction
that is visual, timely, reliable, and easily understood.
3. Seek guidance and input from the City of Eden Prairie Parks, Recreation, Arts and
Natural Resources Commission on the incorporation of public art into the project.
4. Work with City staff and consultants to integrate the City's station area design
recommendations for all station areas.
5. Design for and provide the necessary infrastructure to allow for the future vertical
and horizontal expansion of the new parking structure at Southwest Station.
6. Provide aesthetic treatments to the Prairie Center Drive Bridge that complement
the Purgatory Creek Park and Veterans Memorial experience.
7. Continue and complete the design of the deferred elements of the Town Center
Station.
8. Design and operate the Project in such a manner that minimizes the impact of
LRT on traffic signal coordination and operation of the Flying Cloud Drive
corridor.
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9. Provide a design along West 70`h Street that is consistent with the design of the
western segment of West 70`h Street which is being constructed in 2015.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City desires that the Council, Hennepin County, and
all partner cities identify the full construction of the Town Center station as a regional priority
and work in partnership to identify funding for the station.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City identifies Public Art and Landscaping to be
important project components that should be funded and implemented to their original scope
level. The City desires that the Council, Hennepin County, and all partner cities work in
partnership to identify funding to allow for the full integration of Public Art and Landscaping
into the project.
ADOPTED by the Eden Prairie City Council on September 15, 2015.
anc r u n , Mayor
ATTEST:
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Kat een Porta, City Clerk
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