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Meeting
Minutes
Tuesday, January 22, 2008,
at 6:30 p.m.
1. Introductions/Roll
Call
Commission
members present: Jan Vanderwall, Ernie Willenbring, Randy Neprash and Jim
DeBenedet
Commission
members absent: Dwayne Stenlund
Staff
present: Duane Schwartz, Public Works Director; Deb Bloom, City Engineer
Others
present: None
2. Public
Comments
A
resident was present to discuss item number 7 “Welcome to Roseville” Sign
Concepts. It was decided to move Item Number 7 after Item Number 4.
3. Swearing in of
New Member
New member Dwayne
Stenlund was not in attendance.
4. Approval
of November 27, 2007, Meeting Minutes
Member
Vanderwall moved to approve the minutes of the November 27, 2007, meeting of
the Public Works, Environment and Transportation Commission. Member Neprash
seconded.
Ayes: 4
Nays: 0
Abstained: 0
Motion
carried
Item
out of Order
7. “Welcome
to Roseville” Sign Concepts
Duane Schwartz presented history of this topic, plus new information staff had gathered, along
with a sample design.
Chair
DeBenedet asked if the price quoted included installation. Mr. Schwartz said
that it did.
Member
Willenbring asked if there were any other bids. Mr. Schwartz said staff had
been working with another company but they hadn’t gotten a written bid to us
before the meeting. However, prices quoted on the phone were similar to the
submitted bid.
Member
Neprash asked if the graphics used were similar to any other signs currently
being used in the city. He said it makes sense to keep things similar.
Chair
DeBenedet said he liked the sign design even though he was not initially in
favor of the signs in general.
Member
Vanderwall spoke as a member of the Rotary Club saying that displaying logos
of civic organizations is a good measure of the community.
Member
Willenbring asked how it is determined which civic organizations will be on
the sign. Wally Myllenbeck from the Roseville Lion’s Club spoke to that
question. Mr. Myllenbeck said there are six civic organizations in Roseville: Rotary, Lion’s, Kuwanis, VFW, American Legion and one more. Mr. Schwartz said
that the clubs would provide the logos and possibly provide a cash donation.
Mr. Myllenbeck said they could discuss a donation, but the clubs would
provide the logos and maintain them as well. Mr. Myllenbeck said he like the
concept sign design.
Chair
DeBenedet wanted to use any standard graphics or shape that was currently
being used in the city. Mr. Myllenbeck said there are several different
types of park signs, none are similar to each other.
Chair
DeBenedet asked where this item goes next. Mr. Schwartz said just back to
the City Council. It isn’t currently a budget item. Member Willenbring said
that some private organizations may wish to contribute towards the signs.
Chair
DeBenedet read the recommended locations for sign placement previously
discussed: East end of the city at Hwy 36, North end of the city at Snelling
and County Road D, North end of the city at Lexington.
Mr.
Myllenbeck suggested they start with one sign, and the Lion’s feel strongly
that only civic service organizations be on the signs, nothing commercial.
Mr. Schwartz said the City Attorney suggested they come up with criteria for
what types of organizations can be on the signs.
Member
Vanderwall said they should stick with groups that did work locally, such as
the Rotary and Lion’s Clubs.
Member
Neprash said that the cost would probably be less per sign if doing multiple
signs so that would be worth looking into.
Member
Vanderwall moved that the Commission recommend four sign locations to the
City Council: Lexington at County Road D, Snelling at County Road D, Hwy 36
at Rice Street, and one other location to be determined. Member Willenbring
seconded.
Ayes: 4
Nays: 0
Motion
carried
5. Communication
Items
Twin Lakes Development
Duane Schwartz and Deb Bloom updated the Commission on the Twin Lakes Development.
Chair
DeBenedet asked what was known about environmental cleanup on this site. Mr.
Schwartz said previous development projects had found contamination at
various sites, but there was more investigation needed. Mr. Schwartz said
that the City did not have control over these parcels so any developer
working on the site would have to do the work themselves. Chair DeBenedet
asked if it was reasonable to believe that the developer would approach the
city asking for tax increment financing. Mr. Schwartz said he thought that
was a given.
Member
Neprash asked why they were planning large parking ramps but yet had sizeable
amounts of ground level parking as well. Ms. Bloom said cost was probably
the factor. Member Neprash said it concerned him that there was so much
paved area.
Comprehensive
Plan Update
Chair
DeBenedet updated the Commission on the Comp Plan meeting.
Member
Neprash asked if the Comp Plan could be used to assert Roseville’s ideas of
how they think major streets should be designed. Chair DeBenedet said he
thought it could, but they haven’t gotten to that point in discussions yet.
Rice Street
Chair
DeBenedet updated the Commission on the Rice Street meetings. Traffic growth
has not been as heavy as was predicted so plans are being scaled back. The
last meeting dealt with storm water plans for the area.
Member
Vanderwall said when designing the street they need to keep in mind that
school buses cannot legally stop in a turn lane.
Member
Neprash spoke toward storm water runoff and using street trees as tools for
routing storm water along the sides of roadways.
Watermain
Lining Project
Mr.
Schwartz updated the Commission on this project. Roseville is looking into
working with other cities with similar interest. A new product is being
looked at, and the City Council will decide in February whether to
participate.
Member
Vanderwall asked whether there would be a difference in the amount of energy
needed to pump water through the new pipe since it would be smoother. Mr.
Schwartz responded that there is less friction using the new pipes so flow
capacity is definitely increased, which would mean less energy used.
Member
Neprash requested that the plastic be tested for leaching of chemicals before
being used. Mr. Schwartz said this product is being checked out by the
Department of Health and will be certified before being used.
Joint
Meeting With Council
The
City Council and City Manager have requested an annual discussion with
commission. Mr. Schwartz asked when the Commission would like to schedule
their meeting. They decided to skip their monthly meeting and meet with the
Council instead that month—May or June was the suggested time.
Roseville
Home and Garden Fair
The
Home and Garden Fair is Saturday, February 23, at the Fairview Community Center . Commission members were asked to volunteer to man a booth to give out
information and answer questions. Members Vanderwall and Willenbring
volunteered to attend.
6. Parking
Ordinance Discussion
Duane Schwartz stated that the City Council has asked the Commission for input on this topic.
Chair
DeBenedet said that after reading the responses from residents, it seems that
there are large areas in the city that need onstreet parking to accommodate
today’s lifestyle, and that’s a serious issue. He went on to say that if a
certain neighborhood was having a parking problem and wanted restricted
parking they could go through a petition process, and the city could study
the area to see what was warranted.
Member
Willenbring said that after reading responses most people seem to be
wondering why the City’s messing around with the parking code, since there’s
nothing wrong with it. If there’s a problem in a specific area, deal with
that specific area.
Member
Vanderwall stated they need to figure out some options as a city to respond
when abuses are reported and define what the abuses are; enforcement costs
need to be known before anything is done; the City should meet with those
institutions that may be causing the problems; and they should keep
pedestrian safety in mind.
Member
Willenbring said some problems have already been solved individually, and any
other problems could be solved in the same way.
Member
Vanderwall said he does not want to use a blanket solution but wants to
address individual situations as they come up.
Member
Neprash said he agrees but wants there to be a well defined process for
bringing these problems up.
Member
Vanderwall stated the grievance process was already in place.
Member
Neprash asked why this process began. Member Willenbring said he thought
there had been one or two complaints to a councilmember. Mr. Schwartz said
over the years there’ve been several complaints from around Northwestern College due to student parking. Also, there’ve been several complaints about
vehicles for sale and not moving for long periods of time; and there’ve been
complaints around certain apartment buildings that don’t have enough onsite
parking.
Chair
DeBenedet asked if there was a process in place to handle parking
complaints. Mr. Schwartz said there was a Traffic Safety Committee that
looked into safety issues, but city staff would work with residents who had
complaints and try to find a resolution. Chair DeBenedet asked if the City
could post no parking signs anywhere they wanted. Ms. Bloom said the process
involves a resolution approved by the City Council.
Member
Neprash spoke to what they should recommend to Council: 1) The Commission is
not in favor of a citywide parking ban based on the responses and their own
opinions; 2) Where parking is allowable, public streets are open for anyone
to park; 3) if there is a legitimate problem in localized situations,
residents can bring it to the attention of city staff, who will look into
it.
Chair
DeBenedet suggested that residents who contacted the City wanting a parking
ban should be contacted and informed of how they could have staff look into
their individual problem. Chair DeBenedet also suggested the information be
written up in the Roseville newsletter.
Member
Willenbring suggested an article in the Roseville newsletter recommending
that residents talk to their neighbors first if there’s a problem instead of
getting City staff involved. Member Vanderwall suggested when residents
called in with a problem, staff’s first question might be “Have you talked to
your neighbor?”
Chair
DeBenedet said they should just let staff handle situations in the way they
feel is best.
Item
out of order
9. Agenda
for next meeting – February 26, 2008
McGough Plan for Twin Lakes
Eureka Recycling
Annual Report
Doorhangers
Storm Water Yearly
Report and Information Meeting
7. How
about a Roundabout? The Minnesota Experience - DVD
A
DVD on roundabouts was shown.
Ms.
Bloom said they are looking at using roundabouts in the Twin Lakes area.
10.
Adjournment
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