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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-04-21 Council Special Meeting MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE EDINA CITY COUNCIL HELD AT CITY HALL APRIL 21, 2008 7:00 P.M. ROLLCALL Answering rollcall were Members Bennett, Housh, Masica, Swenson and Mayor Hovland. Mayor Hovland noted the purpose of the meeting was to allow for residents to comment on the proposed traffic safety improvements from the North East Edina Transportation Study Residential Safety Improvement Master Plan, and to take action on the Country Club Area Reconstruction Improvements' award of bid. Engineer Houle using a PowerPoint presentation reviewed the results of the survey undertaken of the residents concentrating on the comment cards received from within the Country Club District. He noted that in all 639 comments cards were received. The survey results for all comment cards received follow: Question Yes No Unsure 1. Do you believe cut-through traffic and vehicle speeds in 192 411 29 Northeast Edina warrant the proposed residential area traffic management improvements? 2. Do you support the following proposed residential area traffic management and safety improvements? a. Speed humps, speed tables, raised intersections 203 414 20 and crosswalks? b. Realigned intersections, chokers, center island 171 426 40 narrowing and traffic circle? c. Pedestrian safety improvements including paver 329 278 32 crosswalks and sidewalks? Mr. Houle called to the Council's attention the Edina Transportation Commission's Resolution calling for approval of the NE Edina Transportation Study Residential Safety Improvements, adopted by the Commission at their meeting April 17, 2008. Public Comment Mayor Hovland stated his intent of calling upon Bruce Christensen to give an overview of the proposed compromise plan as per the e-mail sent April 21, 2008 from Bruce Christensen to the Mayor and Council. An excerpt of the e-mail detailing elements of the proposed compromise follows; "4/18/08— Proposed Compromise Traffic Plan 1. Elimination of all speed humps, horizontal street adjustments (street re-alignments, chokers, one-way triangles, etc). This will have a dramatic impact in reducing signage requirements. 2. Preserve the vast majority of pedestrian safety improvements. With a few minor exceptions described in number 4 below. Given that the realignment is not supported by the survey, the paver crosswalks should use existing curb cuts/boulevard connection, paths to sidewalk where possible, new when necessary, not use driveways, place crosswalks as close to intersection as possible. Paver selection & design biased toward minimum noise pollution. 3. Install 1 1/8th inch raised paver crosswalk at all entry points to the neighborhood. These raised crosswalks will signal drivers entering the neighborhood to slow down, and yet will not require additional signage when placed near stop signs. The raised crosswalks would occur at the following intersections: Page 1 Minutes/Edina City Council/April 21, 2008 Country Club Road &Arden, Country Club Road & Bruce, Country Club Road &Wooddale, Wooddale & Sunnyside, Browndale & Sunnyside, on Sunnyside at Arden. Not certain where Country Club & Browndale. Conditions of acceptance includes—no signage requirements and approval by Fire Chief& School District(school bus drivers). 4. We don't believe in using the islands at Wooddale& Country Club, Wooddale & Sunnyside, Edina Blvd. & Sunnyside, Drexel &Sunnyside, Casco& Sunnyside for pedestrian crosswalks. We'd prefer use of existing walks on north side of Sunnyside and south side of Country Club. Our reasoning is as follows: -Safety—this requires crossing two streets versus one. -Maintenance of the island and walkways may not occur -Natural pedestrian traffic is to the north side of Sunnyside and south side of Country Club roads. - Loss of green space. - Impairment of historic asset. 5. We also agreed that the City should reduce neighborhood speed limit to 25 mph." Bruce Christensen, 4515 Browndale Avenue, stated that a group had been meeting over the past week and he believed there had been a compromise achieved, but they were acting as individuals not a specific group. He said that two other neighbors would also be addressing the compromise plan in order to comply with the three minute speaker's limit. Mr. Christensen spoke to items one and two of the compromise plan that would eliminate the speed bumps and horizontal street adjustments and also would preserve the majority of the pedestrian safety improvements. He urged the Council to consider favorably the proposed compromise. Brian Lavin, 4503 Wooddale Avenue, spoke on the fourth item of the proposed compromise plan of not using the islands as crosswalks. He urged the Council to consider favorably the proposal. Anne Scoggin, 4610 Arden Avenue, testified regarding the adding seven raised 1 1/8 inch paver crosswalks and the requested 25 mph speed limits. She asked the Council to favorably consider the compromise plan. Mayor Hovland polled informally the audience to find out how many present favored the plan. Many present raised their hands. Kitty O'Dea, 4610 Bruce Avenue, said she was a proponent of the proposed improvements as presented by the North East Edina Transportation Study Residential Safety Improvement Master Plan. She said she had been asked to read comments for Bob Sikes on the original North East Edina Transportation Study Residential Safety Improvement Master Plan, which he favored. Ms. O'Dea favored the 25 mph speed limit and urged participation in the "Pace Car not Race Car" program. Marcia Herman, 4602 Drexel Avenue, read a prepared statement and said she favored the Edina Transportation Commission's proposal, not the compromise. Jennifer Janovy, 4616 Inglewood Avenue, speaking on behalf of the Morningside Neighborhood Association Steering Committee, read a statement and used graphics to depict the Morningside area responses to the comment cards. She stated they do not support the North East Edina Transportation Study Residential Safety Improvements, and asked that all vertical measures be removed from the Traffic Safety Improvements. Ms. Janovy outlined the improvements her group wished to have maintained: the sidewalks on the north side of 42nd from Oakdale to France and on Grimes from 42nd to Inglewood, the crosswalk on Sunnyside at Grimes; and the center island with mid-block crosswalk on W 44th at Kojetin Park. They requested that the following be added: sidewalk on France Avenue from 47th to Sunnyside and a stop sign at the crosswalk on Sunnyside at Grimes. They would like more police presence. Ms. Janovy said the steering committee supported the alternative proposal and pointed out they did not favor raised crosswalks. Page 2 Minutes/Edina City Council/April 21, 2008 Doug Seaton, 4306 Sunnyside Road, supported the proposed compromise, commented on the process followed, and introduced Deborah Morse Kahn Deborah Morse Kahn, 4314 Linden Hills, Apt. 204, Minneapolis, read a report prepared on behalf of some Country Club residents, detailing her recommendations. She said in her opinion the proposed plan should be reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office before the reconstruction was undertaken. Richard Thorpe, 4506 Edina Boulevard, stated he was in favor of the proposed improvements as outlined in the North East Edina Transportation Study Residential Safety Improvement Master Plan, and said he believed that was the plan to be followed since it had been thoughtfully developed by professionals. Jonathan Gross, 4208 Grimes Avenue, said he favored the compromise as he understood it, he added he did not support the North East Edina Transportation Study Residential Safety Improvement Master Plan, and displayed the Bloomington matrix for making traffic calming decisions and compared it to Edina's. I Mary Carte, 4208 Branson Street, stated Morningside Association audited the comment cards. She reviewed graphs of her responses. She said that the survey results indicated residents did not want the traffic safety improvements. Ms. Carte did not support the North East Edina Transportation Study Residential Safety Improvement Master Plan. Cheryl Appeldorn, 4703 Townes Road, President, White Oaks Neighborhood Association, said she was representing the White Oaks Neighborhood Association, and expressed concern about the North East Edina Transportation Study Residential Safety Improvement Master Plan. Ms. Appeldorn reported her comments were from a meeting of about 30 White Oaks residents last week, noting they did not want redirection of traffic to White Oaks and Maple Roads. She said the NE Traffic Study only included data for Maple Road, but not any other streets of White Oaks. The neighborhood was concerned about excessive speed, they want to preserve the character of their neighborhood so do not support either the vertical or horizontal proposed changes. They support pedestrian safety changes in White Oaks. Ms. Appeldorn said that they would like to continue to work with the City to pursue more pedestrian safety measures, and also solutions to the 50th and France traffic. Shannon Neale, MD, 4623 Drexel Avenue, supported the North East Edina Transportation Study Residential Safety Improvement Master Plan. She said that from a public health policy standpoint the Council must use the data available to them to make the hard decisions that were in the best interest of the City. Chris Yeamen, 4394 Mackey Avenue, asked three questions: what post implementation studies would be done to ensure the improvements were working, what happens to traffic on 44th and 50th Brookside and France after improvements were built, and how does the amount of cut through traffic compare to other neighborhoods. Jeff Hall, 4500 Drexel Avenue, supported the compromise and offered a "friendly amendment". He stated pedestrian traffic on the south side, not the north side of Sunnyside and suggested that the crosswalks on the islands should be implemented. Lance Silverman, 4519 Edina Boulevard, said he had spoken before on the traffic issue in the Country Club. Mr. Silverman said many other communities have implemented traffic improvements without the repeated reviews. He said that he experienced very negative behavior when attempting to correct some misinformation in the neighborhood. He urged the Council to make the difficult decisions necessary to get the needed safety improvements. Page 3 Minutes/Edina City Council/April 21, 2008 Karlene Beck, 4202 Sunnyside Road, said she was concerned about safety and supported the North East Edina Transportation Study Residential Safety Improvement Master Plan proposed improvements. Diane Feldman, 4083 Sunnyside Road, said she lived on the south edge of where the traffic measure was planned to be installed and expressed concern about potential double speed bumps in front of her property. She said she was never spoken to about the potential speed bump being installed directly in front of her home. Ms. Feldman said she feared traffic would go from the bump into her yard. Roberta Castellano, 4854 France Avenue South, opposed speed bumps and expressed her concerns. Bill Cooper, 4310 Morningside Road, stated he felt calming measures were needed and suggested that what slows traffic down be noted and kept in mind. Mr. Cooper said he thought sidewalks were needed at Wooddale Avenue and Morningside Road on the north side. Ruth Melcher, 4624 Bruce Avenue, supported the compromise plan. Ellie Lucas, 4500 Edina Boulevard, commented on the crosswalks on the islands, as a 22 year resident. She said that in her experience, people do not walk across the islands and added she favored the compromise plan. Frank Bennett, 4704 White Oaks Road, expressed concern about the domino effect of calming traffic in one area and spilling it into other areas. He offered support of the proposed compromise plan. Arlene Wilson, 4707 Townes Road, said speed bumps were aesthetically ruinous to neighborhoods and detrimental to health even when driving slowly. Christina Delianedis, 4624 Drexel Avenue, said she was representing parents who could not attend the meeting because they were involved with their families. Ms. Delianedis said there have been very negative interactions between neighbors over the proposed traffic improvements. She said there have been numerous occasions when she and her neighbors have jumped out to slow traffic. Her biggest concern was safety. Lori Anderson, 4919 Bruce Avenue, said due to her blindness she was having a neighbor read the notes she just drafted. She favored the compromise. She supported 25 mph speed limits and slightly elevated crosswalks only at the entrances to the neighborhoods. Ms. Anderson said that her husband and she were both blind and transverse the streets based on the sound of free flowing traffic. The elevated structures as originally proposed would cause significant delays in the free-flowing traffic and would be problematic for them. Karen Tully, 4619 Bruce Avenue, said she was vehemently opposed to the North East Edina Transportation Study Residential Safety Improvement Master Plan proposed improvements, but supported the compromise. She said that the traffic today was no different than in the 60's and that children in the 60's were taught to respect the streets. Further, Ms. Tully said that Country Club residents should be self policing their speed and slow down. She asked that school buses be asked to slow down and asked about a STOP sign at Bruce and Country Club Road Ruth Smith, 4519 Bruce Avenue, said she agreed with everything that Mrs. Tully stated. Ms. Smith favored the compromise. Page 4 Minutes/Edina City Council/April 21, 2008 Lynn Hulstrand, 4614 Edgebrook Place, stated said that she was grateful that her neighbors took the time to look at the proposal. She said she would prefer doing nothing, but would support the compromise. Ms. Hulstrand said that residents need to self police and also requested more police enforcement of speed and STOP signs. Heather Wallace, 4701 Townes Road, in White Oaks stated any plan needs to consider whether or not traffic will be diverted to White Oaks, especially Townes Circle and Townes Road. Ms. Wallace said there were many walkers and the topography of the area was challenging. She said she favored slower speeds and more STOP signs. Sara Anderson, 4807 Maple Road, expressed concern over potential ripple effect in contiguous neighborhoods. She said the 48th Street and Maple Road STOP has made a dramatic improvement. Marie Thorpe, 4606 Edina Boulevard, strongly supported the work of the Edina Transportation Commission and the North East Edina Transportation Study Residential Safety Improvement Master Plan's proposed safety improvements. She said that as a former Edina Transportation Commission member she could vouch for both the engineering and thoroughness of the plan. Ms. Thorpe commented that she believed there was a bias in the recent survey and overall a general misunderstanding of the NE Edina Traffic Plan. She added that the Heritage Preservation Board and the Transportation Commission had reviewed the plan. Ms. Thorpe said she did not support the proposed compromise plan. She said she was strongly in favor of the proposed gateway treatments to the neighborhood and urged that the original NE Edina Traffic Safety Improvements be implemented. Chuck Mooty, 4615 Moorland Avenue, supported the compromise plan. He suggested that if Highway 100 and 50th Street were improved the traffic in the neighborhoods would lessen significantly and expressed concern about the divisiveness of the community. Mr. Mooty asked that greater effort be made to effect traffic safety improvements on 50th Street. Member Housh made a motion, seconded by Member Swenson to close the public hearing. Ayes: Bennett, Housh, Masica, Swenson, Hovland Motion carried. Following the closure of the hearing, the Council discussed in detail the various aspects of the Country Club area improvements. Their discussion included the following: shoveling of the islands would be the responsibility of the City, the viability of 1 1/8 inch raised crosswalks which staff believed could be built and maintained since they would have concrete edges, an update on the practicality of establishing a 25 mph speed limit in residential area and whether it could be upheld (noting that the legislature was studying the issue and a report would be forthcoming in January 2009), the City would be able to set a 25 mph limit for residential roadways one half mile in length or less, the enforceability of a 25 mph limit, whether or not there was a cost differential of raised vs. non-raised crosswalks, ability of city maintenance equipment to navigate slightly raised crosswalks, the necessity of complying with ADA requirements when building the project so the pedestrian ramps must be placed where they were determined to be necessary per the engineer, the ability of neighborhood to still request calming measures through the Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan, whether implementation of the compromise plan would push traffic to adjacent neighborhoods, effect of future improvements to Highway 100 on Edina's traffic, and need to work with City of Minneapolis to establish better traffic management in France Avenue Business District. The Mayor and Council thanked the neighbors for their input and the civil discourse. Member Housh moved that the Council accept the compromise plan presented by the Country Club representatives provided that i.) sidewalks be installed across existing islands as recommended by the Northeast Edina Traffic Study, ii.) the final location of crosswalks be determined by the City Engineer based upon the conceptual locations shown in the Page 5 Minutes/Edina City Council/April 21 2008 compromise plan, and iii.) the proposed reduction in speed limits to 25 mph be deferred to a later date. Further, i.) all recommended vertical and horizontal realignments of streets in the northeast Edina study area outside of the Country Club district be deleted as planned improvements provided that ii.) pedestrian-related improvements in this area be pursued at the appropriate time. Further, pedestrian-related improvements for the Morningside area be undertaken per the recommendations of the Morningside Neighborhood Association with the understanding that the stop signs proposed for the Grimes and Sunnyside intersection will be referred to the Traffic Safety Committee for review and recommendation. Member Swenson seconded the motion, but withdrew her second during the discussion at which time Member Masica seconded the motion. Rollcall: Ayes: Bennett, Housh, Masica, Swenson, Hovland Motion carried. Member Swenson made a motion to award the bid for Contract ENG 08-1, Country Club Area Sewer, Water, and Street Reconstruction, Improvement Nos. A-213, A-214, SS-413, STS-297, WM-436, L-43 and L-49 to the recommended low bidder Palda & Sons, Inc. at $14,198,303.66. Member Masica seconded the motion. Rollcall: Ayes: Bennett, Housh, Masica, Swenson, Hovland Motion carried. There being no further business on the Council Agenda, Mayor Hovland declared the meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m. Respectfully submitted, 1 Debra ) angerv, City Clerk Page 6