City Council - 11/18/2003 - Workshop APPROVED MINUTES
EDEN PRAIRIE CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP/FORUM
TUESDAY,NOVEMBER 18,2003 CITY CENTER
5:00- 6:25 PM,HERITAGE ROOM H
6:30—7:00 PM, COUNCIL CHAMBER
CITY COUNCIL:
Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Councilmembers Sherry Butcher,Ron Case, and Jan Mosman, and
Philip Young
CITY STAFF:
City Manager Scott Neal, Police Chief Dan Carlson,Fire Chief George Esbensen,Public Works
Director Eugene Dietz,Director of Parks and Recreation Bob Lambert,Finance Manager Sue
Kotchevar, Senior Accountant Tammy Wilson and Recorder Lorene McWaters
Heritage Room H
I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA
III. 2004/2005 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Finance Director Sue Kotchevar provided an overview of the Capital Improvement
Program planning process and proposed 2004/08 budget. She noted that a public hearing
to approve the CIP will be held at the Council's December 16 meeting. This is to comply
with new legislation which allows cities to issue debt under a qualifying Capital
Improvement Plan. The City could issue debt under this new legislation for a new fire
station in southwest Eden Prairie. The City Council will also be asked to approve the
new general budget and 2004 tax levy on December 16. Kotchevar reviewed the City's
objectives and policies regarding the capital improvement budget.
The proposed 2004/08 CIP totals $26,246,700,broken down as follows:
• Facilities, $2,720,000 (including replacement of carpet in City Center,parking lot
improvements, and ongoing replacement program for heat pumps)
• Fire, $6,500,000 (including replacement of equipment and construction of a new
fire station)
• Historical properties, $931,000 (including renovation of the Riley-Jaques Barn)
• Information technology, $1,335,000 (including equipment replacement)
• Parks and recreation, $6,859,700 (including development of the City's last
neighborhood park)
• Police, $316,000
• Public works, $7,585,000 (including an ongoing pavement program)
Kotchevar said funding for these projects is expected to come from the following
sources:
City Council Workshop Minutes
November 18,2003
Page 2
• Existing Capital improvement/maintenance fund, $13,964,500 (53%)
• Issuance of debt, $6,500,000(0%)
• Other, $425,000 (2%)
• Park Improvement Fund, $5,203,700 (20%)
• Storm Drainage Fund, $3,500 (0%)
• Utility Construction Fund, $50,000 (0%)
Kotchevar noted that the legislature has granted municipalities a new bonding authority
that allows for issuance of bonds for improvement to public facilities at reduced interest
rates. She is proposing that this vehicle be used to finance a new fire station.
If Council approves this CIP plan,the City will be able to maintain level debt service
payments and fund top priority CIP projects through 2008.
Kotchevar also discussed several challenges that are not covered in the current CIP,
including$31 million in transportation projects. She said the City anticipates about$1.4
million in Minnesota State Aid for transportation projects,but this will not cover all
proposed work. There is also about$1.4 million in anticipated renovation work to be
done at the Community Center, including replacement of the freon icing system,
compressor and air conditioning units for the ice rinks, a new roof, and parking lot
improvements. She noted that Inspec has been retained by the City to conduct an
inventory of all City facilities. It is possible that other funding needs will be uncovered
as part of this inventory.• A survey conducted by the City in 2001 indicated high
community interest in an improved community center and addition of a water park.
Construction of these facilities would cost about$11 million. Other park and recreation
needs and wants include addition of a third ice rink($3-$4 million) and additional and/or
improved youth athletic fields ($1.3 million).
Kotchevar asked Council to consider increasing the annual transfer from general fund, as
appropriate. Other funding methods include CIP bonds, one-time revenues from sale of
city-owned land, institution of a street lighting utility, or development of a special service
district. In addition,the City is currently conducting a phone survey to determine
whether or not residents would support a parks referendum.
Kotchevar asked Council for questions and input on the proposed CIP. Mayor Tyra-
Lukens said she would be in favor of increasing the general fund transfer to CIP, if the
budget permits,particularly if the money is earmarked for transportation. She said she
consistently hears concerns about transportation from the business community, and
keeping up with needs in this area is important. Public Works Director Dietz explained
that transportation projects are not currently included in the CIP because they are so
massive that they don't fit into the model. He noted that while there are$31 million in
projected transportation projects, there is only$14 million in funds identified for this
work over the next 10 years. Dietz said this requires constant assessment and balancing
to ensure that the most critical transportation projects are funded in a timely manner.
Parks and Recreation Director Lambert said he thinks the funds required to maintain the
Community Center and Ice Rinks should be included if the City decided to hold a
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November 18,2003
Page 3
referendum. He said he would lump the requests together as one referendum question,
rather than breaking them down.
IV. OTHER TOPICS
Council Chamber
V. OPEN FORUM (Scheduled participants, 6:30-7:00 p.m.)
Alan Greenberg of Stonewood Court spoke to Council about the proposed 494
construction. He referenced a letter he e-mailed to staff and Council outlining his
concerns. He said that because the timeline for construction was greatly speeded up,the
noise study conducted by MnDOT was rushed and faulty. He said his street was not even
listed on the original MnDOT map used this summer during the study. In addition, he
said MnDOT used Highway 100 as a comparison to 494 for projected increases in noise
levels. He said the two roadways are not comparable because 494 sees much higher truck
traffic. He said MnDOT has suggested the neighborhood consider petitioning for a
special assessment to build a sound wall behind their homes. Mr. Greenberg noted that
100% agreement among the neighbors would be necessary in order to pass a special
assessment, and this is unlikely since some in the neighborhood will be more heavily
impacted by any increase in noise depending on the location and orientation of their
homes. He questioned why houses one block away from his qualify for sound protection,
when his does not. He said it is already impossible to sleep with the windows open.
Another resident referenced an article in a newsletter published by St. Francis Regional
Medical Center on noise range studies.
Another resident of the neighborhood said he has been forced to move his grill to his
front yard because traffic noise is so loud in his back yard. He said he talked to MnDOT
about preventing trucks from"jake-braking,"but they indicated they were unable to
prohibit it because 494 is a federal highway.
A woman who owns a home on Stonewood Court noted that her house has been for sale
since June. She has finally gotten a verbal offer on the home,but will probably"only get
$259,000." She said she has consistently heard prospective buyers express concerns
about current and future freeway noise. She also does not believe the MnDOT noise
studies were conducted properly. She asked that before Council give municipal consent
for the project, they ask MnDOT to conduct more studies. Another neighbor on
Stonewood Court noted that their street was not on the map MnDOT was using in the
beginning of their sound study. He said it does not make sense to build sound walls with
gaps like the one behind their home. He said he also understands that the decision to
build sound walls in certain areas was based in part on the ease of building on the terrain.
VI. OPEN PODIUM (Unscheduled participants, 6:50-7:00 p.m.)
No one requested to speak at Open Podium.
VII. ADJOURNMENT