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Home My WebLink About09-15-14 WSCITY OF LAKEVILLE CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION MINUTES September 15, 2014 Mayor Little called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. in the Marion Conference Room at City Hall. 1. Roll Call: Members Present: Council Members Swecker, LaBeau, Anderson, Davis and Mayor Little Staff Present: Allyn Kuennen, Interim City Administrator; Brett Altergott, Parks and Recreation Director; Dave Olson, Community and Economic Development Director; Rick Howden, Economic Development Specialist; Daryl Morey, Planning Director; Karl Drotning, Planning Commissioner; Charlene Friedges, City Clerk 2. Citizen Comments None 3. Met Council Transportation Policy Plan Update Dan Licht of The Planning Company (TPC) and Planning Commissioner Karl Drotning, who serves on the Metropolitan Council Transportation Advisory Committee, provided an overview of the Metropolitan Council's draft 2040 Transportation Policy Plan (TPP), which is one of the system plans of Thrive MSP 2040 (see TPC report dated 11 September 2014). The Metropolitan Council is accepting comments regarding the draft 2040 TPP. Input from the comment period will be reviewed by the Metropolitan Council for potential modifications to the draft 2040 TPP, with a final plan to be presented for adoption in December 2014. It was recommended that Lakeville continue to advocate for increased financial spending from Federal, State and regional governments as an absolute necessity to expand the capacity of regional transportation infrastructure, including transit and automobile and commercial vehicle roadways to support planned growth within Lakeville and the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Mr. Licht will draft a letter (see attached) outlining the City Council's comments related to land use and transportation within the community for submittal to the Metropolitan Council. 4. BTD Tax Increment Financing Application Paul Gintner, President of BTD Manufacturing, Inc. provided an overview of his company's proposed 200,000 square foot expansion in Lakeville. The company estimates that this expansion will result in the creation of an additional 100 jobs in the first two years of operations. The total estimated cost of this proposed expansion is $14.2 million. BTD is requesting tax increment financing (TIF) assistance to offset some City Council Work Session Minutes, September 15, 2014 Page -2- of the costs associated with this project. All new jobs to be created will exceed the $13 per hour minimum referenced in the City's TIF policy. The City Council authorized staff and Springsted Inc. to proceed with preparation of documents for the creation of a new TIF District for the proposed BTD Manufacturing, Inc. expansion. S. Kenrick Avenue Trail Slope Erosion Update Parks & Recreation Director Brett Altergott, along with Don Sterna of WSB & Associates, Inc., summarized the existing conditions on a section of approximately 200 feet of embankment along the Kenrick Avenue trail. Since the spring, the slope has eroded twice, once following the record rainfalls in the spring and again following a heavy rainfall in June. The granular embankment material is not able to remain in place after heavy rain events. They explained that the reason the slope is so steep is that WSB had been directed by staff to design this section of the trail without affecting the snowmobile trail at the bottom of the embankment. In addition, there is a box culvert within the slope that was not extended. Mr. Sterna explained that several alternatives were considered; and the most economical long-term solution is to utilize a prefabricated modular block wall. This alternative allows for the construction of flatter slopes for stabilization. It allows for the use of smaller equipment and can be done with minimal disruption to the existing area and trail. The estimated cost of this option is $63,000. There is approximately $44,000 remaining in the Kenrick Avenue trail project contingency fund; and the remainder will be funded through park dedication. The City Council supported this option and directed staff to prepare a change order for approval. 6. Adjourn Mayor Little adjourned the meeting at 6:43 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Charlene Friedges, City ark vi _ � �Z4, - - Matt Little, May r October 1, 2014 Susan Haigh, Chair Metropolitan Council 390 Robert St. N. Saint Paul, MN 55101 RE: 2040 Transportation Policy Plan Dear Ms. Haigh: The City of Lakeville has reviewed the draft 2040 Transportation Policy Plan (2040 TPP) in advance of the City's efforts to undertake an update of the Lakeville Comprehensive Plan by December 31, 2018 as required by State Law. The City's review of the 2040 TPP and the comments outlined herein are made in consideration of Lakeville's own vision for growth and development that will continue in the community as well as the guidelines of the Thrive MSP 2040 regional plan. Thrive MSP 2040 and the draft 2040 TPP elevates transportation system planning to a policy level to emphasize a greater correlation between land use and transportation. This has been a fundamental approach to planning in Lakeville since the 1970s and continues with the most recent 2008 Lakeville Comprehensive Plan. However, the 2040 TPP seeks to utilize transportation planning and investment to effect changes in development practices in Suburban Edge communities, such as Lakeville, to align with plans for future expansion of transit services and transitways. The ability to realize this goal of shifting from automobile oriented development to a more balanced approach is good in theory, but requires necessary levels of investment balanced throughout the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area and an overall transportation system that works to support planned development both in a regional and local context. Thrive MSP 2040 assumes no expansion of the 2030 Municipal Urban Service Area (MUSA) to accommodate projected population, household, and employment growth for the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area based on the effects of the Great Recession. Lakeville, however, will need to evaluate the local need to expand the MUSA to allow for continued development based on the land absorption within the MUSA that has occurred since the 2008 Lakeville Comprehensive Plan was adopted. Expansion of the MUSA to 2040 in Citv ot'Lakeville • 20195 Hol)roke A c.. Lakeville, NIN 550,44 952-935-4100 • fax 952-985-1499 • Sv�ti t�t�a�e�ille��t��.� n� • Southerii gate► ay to the 'Fi int Cities • Ms. Susan Haigh Metropolitan Council Page 2 Lakeville would include additional urban development being planned for areas adjacent to the Cedar Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Corridor (Red Line). Thrive MSP 2040 will require that areas adjacent to the Cedar Avenue BRT Corridor (Red Line) provide a minimum residential density of 10 dwelling units per acre, which is greater than the 7 units per acre density that Lakeville committed to within the 2008 Lakeville Comprehensive Plan. For the City to allow this level of development along the Cedar BRT corridor (Red Line), and at a level of 3 to 5 dwelling units per acre for all residential development within the MUSA in Lakeville, Metropolitan Council needs to be prepared to provide transportation system improvements parallel with construction of residential dwellings. Moreover, the investments in transportation system improvements must recognize Lakeville's own strategies for promoting transit in consideration of the community's vision for residential development focusing on centralized transit facilities on 1-35 and Cedar Avenue allowing commuters park and ride options. In terms of economic development, planning and investment in transportation systems from Lakeville's perspective must provide a balanced approach for employment and freight so as to facilitate development of areas of the City planned for commercial, office and industrial uses and not to function only as an expressway to employment centers outside of Lakeville. The 2040 TPP identifies a Current Revenue Scenario and Increased Revenue Scenario for funding operation and maintenance of current transportation systems and as a basis for timing possible capacity improvements to the regional transportation system. The Current Revenue Scenario, with only inflationary increases in revenue (but decreasing State and Federal aid below inflation), severely limits maintenance and operations spending and the ability to undertake capacity improvements to the point that levels of service will degrade and become a brake on regional development. The effects of such a funding scenario would be most significant in Suburban Edge communities where most of the projected growth is to occur through 2040 that require additional infrastructure improvements, yet there are only maintenance and minimal operation improvements designated for both highways and transit for Lakeville. Even under the Increased Revenue Scenario, the additional funding that would be obtained (from unidentified sources), would not be allocated on a regional basis to areas where development is guided to occur at densities dependent on expanded system capacity. In Lakeville, funding is allocated to extend the Cedar Avenue BRT (Red Line) to the existing park and ride facility at 181 n Street by 2019. However, the 2040 TPP designates no other capacity improvement to occur on 1-35, Cedar Avenue or other major Ms. Susan Haigh Metropolitan Council Page 3 roadways benefiting Lakeville under either the Current Revenue Scenario or Increased Revenue Scenario. Lakeville stated in the 2008 Lakeville Comprehensive Plan its concern about the lack of planning and financing to improve regional transportation infrastructure necessary to support mandated development forecasts within the community. This concern was raised after a period during which Lakeville proactively addressed increasing traffic congestion by undertaking, at its cost, $28.6 Million in improvements to regional roadway systems, the City Council reached agreement with the Metropolitan Council to expand the Metropolitan Transit District to include Lakeville, and the City is actively participating in the planning for the proposed Interstate 35 (Orange Line) and the Cedar Avenue BRT (Red Line) Corridors. These projects benefit not only Lakeville residents and businesses, but transportation system users in adjacent developing cities and townships. However, these facility improvements alone will not be adequate to provide for a functional transportation system and capacity for Lakeville's forecasted growth through 2030, much less 2040. City officials will need to consider as part of the 2018 Lakeville Comprehensive Plan update whether to incorporate the 10 dwelling units per acre density requirement and policies to promote Transit Oriented Design along the Cedar Avenue corridor, as recommended by Thrive MSP 2040, when there is no funding for extension of the Cedar Avenue BRT (Red Line) south of the 181 st St. park and ride. The 2040 TPP outlines investment and direction plans for how the limited transportation funding that would be available under either the Current Revenue Scenario or Increased Revenue Scenario is to be allocated. The criteria for allocation of these funds is established by the 2040 TPP with minimal regard for regional balance, utilizing social economic and housing data in such a way so as to create built in bias for projects benefiting Urban Center communities over other areas of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Furthermore, the advisory groups recommending the criteria for transportation planning and recommendations for project investment does not include adequate representation necessary for regional balance in the Metropolitan Council's decision process. Lakeville believes that increased representation at a policy making level in advising Metropolitan Council and increased financial spending from Federal, State and regional governments on a regional basis is an absolute necessity to expand the capacity of transportation system infrastructure for Suburban Edge communities, including transit and roadways for automobiles and freight. Without such a commitment to funding needed for transportation system maintenance, operation and capacity expansion, Lakeville will be unable to support projected population, household and employment Ms. Susan Haigh Metropolitan Council Page 4 growth within the City and will need to contemplate appropriate measures to address this issue as part of its 2018 Lakeville Comprehensive Plan update. Lakeville is well aware of the challenges in developing strategies for planning future development and the correlation between land use, transportation and other system plans. In establishing the 2040 TPP consistent with the Thrive MSP 2040 regional plan, Lakeville requests Metropolitan Council adopt a transportation plan that addresses system operations, maintenance and capacity with a basis on regional consistency, recognizing that land use objectives are only feasible with adequate infrastructure being provided concurrent with development and incorporating local vision and preferences for development patterns that will occur to 2040. Lakeville cannot support the density mandated for the community by the Thrive MSP regional plan based on the inadequacies of the draft TPP to provide for a regional transportation system that supports anticipated growth and development. We appreciate the opportunity to provide these comments on the draft 2040 TPP to the Metropolitan Council. If additional discussions are warranted or you would like additional information from Lakeville regarding our comments, please do not hesitate to contact City staff. Sincerely, Matt Little Mayor CITY OF LAKEVILLE C. City Council Wendy Wulff, Metropolitan Council District 16 Allyn Kuennen, Interim City Administrator Daryl Morey, Planning Director David Olson, Community and Economic Development Director Zachary Johnson, City Engineer Brett Altergott, Parks and Recreation Director Roger Knutson, City Attorney Daniel Licht, The Planning Company LLC