HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004-11-18 Meeting PacketAGENDA
Regular Meeting of the
Edina Transportation Commission
6:00 PM, Thursday, November 18, 2004
Edina City Hall
4801 West 50th Street
Community Room
I. Call to Order
II. New Business
III. Old Business
a. Presentation – Traffic Control Device Policies and Procedures*
b. Presentation – Sidewalk Financing Policy and Master Plan (please bring the
following handouts given to you on February 26, 2004: Future Sidewalk
Financing Policy & Municipal State Aid Sidewalk Study)
c. Presentation – Systematic Development of Informed Consent (Management
Training)
d. Review – Edina Traffic Task Force Report (please bring your copy of this report
– February 26, 2004 handout)
e. Handout – Legislative Policies, January 2005 DRAFT (Association of
Metropolitan Municipalities)*
IV. Approval of Minutes
a. October 28, 2004*
V. Adjournment
VI. Open Discussion
* Note: Attachment included.
MULTIWAY STOP SIGNS
TRAFFIC POLICY
ALL-WAY
City of Edina
PURPOSE: The purpose of the multiway stop sign policy is to provide fair and uniform
treatment of all requests for multiway, all way, and 4-way stop signs.
Multiway stop signs can be an effective safety measure if properly
warranted. However, they should not be installed inappropriately where
they may be ignored by drivers, needlessly interrupt traffic flow, and
negatively affect fuel consumption, the environment, or cause needless
noise. A consistent application of the policy serves both the motorist and
resident within the City.
PROCESS: Your traffic safety concern or request will be formalized by the staff
member you have contacted. That person will work with you and gather
the pertinent facts and help clearly define the problem and seek a
solution. Those facts will be reviewed by the City Engineer, the Police
Chief, and the Assistant City Manager. That group will make a
recommendation to the City Council regarding the matter. The staff safety
review recommendation will be shared with you. If you disagree with the
recommendation or can bring forth additional information and/or facts that
are persuasive as related to the City warrants/policies for the requested
issue, you can appear at the second Council meeting of the month and
present your viewpoint. We suggest you alert any interested parties to
attend the meeting with you. In all cases the City Council is the final
authority on traffic safety matters. Any subsequent review of the same or
similar request is at the discretion of the City Council.
POLICY: 1. The provisions of the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic
Control Devices (MUTCD) shall be followed.
2. Relevant speed, volumes, accident records and sight
obstructions shall be reviewed when considering the
installation of a stop sign.
3. Absent engineering data which clearly indicates the need for
a multiway stop sign, control devices at an intersection will
remain unchanged.
4. Any of the following conditions may warrant a multiway stop sign
installation:
MULTI WAY STOP SIGN POLICY (CONTINUED)
a. Where traffic signals are warranted and urgently needed,
the multiway stop is an interim measure that can be installed
quickly to control traffic while arrangements are being made
for the signal installation.
b. An accident problem, as indicated by five or more reported
accidents of a type susceptible of correction by a multiway
stop installation in a 12-month period. Such accidents
include right- and left-turn collisions as well as right angle
collisions.
c. Minimum traffic volumes:
1. The total vehicular volume entering the intersection
from all approaches must average at least 500
vehicles per hour for any 8 hours of an average day,
and
2. The combined vehicular and pedestrian volume from
the minor street or highway must average at least 200
units per hour for the same 8 hours, with an average
delay to minor street vehicular traffic of at least 30
seconds per vehicle during the maximum hours, but
3. When the 85-percentile approach speed of the major
street traffic exceeds 40 miles per hour, the minimum
vehicular volume warrant is 70 percent of the above
requirements.
4. Multiway stop signs shall not be installed in an
attempt to control speed.
5. Multiway stop signs shall not be installed in an
attempt to control volume.
RESIDENTIAL STOP
SIGNS
TRAFFIC POLICY
City of Edina
PURPOSE: The purpose of the residential stop sign policy is to provide fair and
uniform treatment of all requests for stop signs in residential areas. A
consistent application of the policy serves both the motorist and resident
within the City.
PROCESS: Your traffic safety concern or request will be formalized by the staff
member you have contacted. That person will work with you and gather
the pertinent facts and help clearly define the problem and seek a
solution. Those facts will be reviewed by the City Engineer, the Police
Chief, and the Assistant City Manager. That group will make a
recommendation to the City Council regarding the matter. The staff safety
review recommendation will be shared with you. If you disagree with the
recommendation or can bring forth additional information and/or facts that
are persuasive as related to the City warrants/policies for the requested
issue, you can appear at the second Council meeting of the month and
present your viewpoint. We suggest you alert any interested parties to
attend the meeting with you. In all cases the City Council is the final
authority on traffic safety matters. Any subsequent review of the same or
similar request is at the discretion of the City Council.
POLICY: 1. The provisions of the Minnesota Manual on Uniform Traffic
Control Devices (MUTCD) shall be followed.
2. Relevant speed, volumes, accident records and sight
obstructions shall be reviewed when considering the
installation of a stop sign.
3. Absent engineering data which clearly indicates the need for
a stop sign, a residential intersection should be left
uncontrolled.
4. If an intersection experiences five (5) or more right angle accidents
in a three (3) year period, stop signs should be considered.
5. If the presence of a sight obstruction is contributing to accidents
at an intersection, removal of the sight obstruction should be
sought before considering a stop sign.
RESIDENTIAL STOP SIGN POLICY (Continued)
6. If the 85th percentile speed on any leg of an intersection is
more than five (5) MPH over the posted speed limit, a stop
sign should be considered for the intersecting street.
7. If traffic volumes exceed 1,000 vehicles per day on each of
the intersecting streets, stop signs should be considered.
8. Residential stop signs shall not be installed in an attempt to
control speed.
9. Residential stop signs shall not be installed in an attempt to
control volume.
YIELD SIGNS
TRAFFIC POLICY
City of Edina
PURPOSE: Yield signs are used to protect traffic on one of two intersecting streets
without requiring traffic on the other street to come to a complete stop.
Studies indicate Yield signs are effective in certain low volume conditions
with adequate sight distances. Some efficiencies in accident reduction,
delays, and operating costs can be realized with the use of Yield signs.
PROCESS: Your traffic safety concern or request will be formalized by the staff
member you have contacted. That person will work with you and gather
the pertinent facts and help clearly define the problem and seek a
solution. Those facts will be reviewed by the City Engineer, the Police
Chief, and the Assistant City Manager. That group will make a
recommendation to the City Council regarding the matter. The staff safety
review recommendation will be shared with you. If you disagree with the
recommendation or can bring forth additional information and/or facts that
are persuasive as related to the City warrants/policies for the requested
issue, you can appear at the second Council meeting of the month and
present your viewpoint. We suggest you alert any interested parties to
attend the meeting with you. In all cases the City Council is the final
authority on traffic safety matters. Any subsequent review of the same or
similar request is at the discretion of the City Council.
Their recommendation will be shared with you and if you disagree with it
or can bring forth additional facts you can appear at the next regularly
scheduled Council meeting and present your viewpoint. In all cases the
City Council is the final authority on traffic safety matters.
POLICY: 1. The provisions of the Minnesota Uniform Traffic Control Devices
(MUTCD) shall be followed.
2. Relevant speed, volumes, accident records, signt distances, and
other pertinent data shall be reviewed when considering the
installation of a Yield sign.
3. Absent engineering data in support of a Yield sign, intersections
shall remain uncontrolled.
YIELD SIGNS (Continued)
4. Any of the following conditions may warrant the installation of a
Yield sign.
a. At the entrance to an intersection where it is necessary to
assign right of way and where the safe approach speed on
the entrance exceeds 10 MPH based on adequate sight
distance.
b. Where there is a separate or channelized right turn lane
without an adequate acceleration lane.
c. At intersections where all legs of the intersection do not
exceed 800 vehicles/hour for any given hour. (Must also
comply with (a) above.)
d. At any intersection where engineering studies identify
special problems that are correctable by Yield signs.
5. Yield signs shall not be used to control traffic traveling on a
collector or arterial roadway.
6. Yield signs shall not be used to control traffic entering a collector
or arterial roadway.
7. Yield signs shall not be used on more than one approach of an
intersection.
January 2005
Legislative
POLICIES
Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
145 University Ave. W. • St. Paul, Minnesota 55103-2044
Phone: (651) 215-4000 • Fax: (651) 281-1299
E-mail: amm@amm145.org
Inv toll Printed on recycled paper
Table of Contents
Municipal Revenue & Taxation (I)
I-A Levy Limits 1
I-B Local Government Aid (LGA) 1
1-C Market Value Homestead Credit (MVHC) 1
1-D Fiscal Disparity Fund Distribution 2
I-E Limited Market Value (LMV) 2
I-F Transit Funding 2
I-G Constitutional Tax and Expenditure Limits 2
I-H State Property Tax: Oppose Extension to Other Property 3
I-1 Class Rate Tax System 3
I-J Personal Property Taxation: Electric Utility 3
1-K Revenue Diversification 3
1-L Sales Tax on Local Government Purchases 3
1-M City Revenue Stability & Fund Balance 4
I-N Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA) Under Funding 4
1-0 Aggregate Mining Fee 4
General Legislation (II)
II-A Mandates & Local Authority 5
II-B City Enterprise Activities 5
II-C Firearms on City Property 5
II-D Compensation Limits 5
II-E 911 Telephone Tax 5
II-F 800 MHz Radio System 6
11-G State Paid Police and Fire Medical Insurance 6
Housing & Economic Development (III)
III-A City Role in Housing 7
III-B City Role in Lifecycle and Affordable Housing 7
111-C Livable Communities 8
III-D Inclusionary Housing 8
III-E State Role in Affordable Housing 9
III-F Federal Role in Affordable Housing 9
III-G Economic Development Responsibilities 10
111-H Eminent Domain 10
111-1 Tax Increment Financing 11
III-J State Role in Redevelopment/Reinvestment 11
111-K "This Old House" / "This Old Shop" 12
2005 Legislative Policies
Contents
Metropolitan Agencies (IV)
IV-A Purpose of Metropolitan Governance 13
IV-B Roles & Responsibilities of the Metropolitan Council 13
IV-C Selection of Metropolitan Council Members 14
IV-D Funding Regional Services 14
IV-E Regional Systems 14
IV-F Review of Local Comprehensive Plans 15
IV-G Local Zoning Authority 15
IV-H Regional Growth 15
IV-I Comprehensive Planning Schedule 16
IV-J Natural Resource Protecton 16
IV-K Water Management 17
IV-L Funding Regional Parks & Open Space 18
Transportation (V)
V-A Transportation Funding 19
V-B Metropolitan Transportation Referendum 19
V-C Regional Transit System 19
V-D Transit Operating Subsidies 20
V-E Road Access Fee 20
V-F Transportation Utility 20
V-G Highway Turnbacks & Funding 20
V-H '3C' Transportation Planning Process: Elected Officials Role 21
V-I Red Light Cameras 21
V-J Airport Noise Mitigation 21
V-K Cities Under 5,000 Population 21
V-L County State Aid Highway (CSAH) Distribution Formula 22
V-M Municipal Input (Consent) for Trunk Highways 22
V-N Plat Authority 22
V-0 City Speed Limit Control 22
Committee Rosters
Municipal Revenue Policy Committee 23
Housing and Economic Development Policy Committee 24
Metropolitan Agencies Policy Committee 24
Transportation and General Government Policy Committee 25
ii Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
AMM MISSION STATEMENT
To serve as the primary representative of the collective
interests of all metropolitan cities on metropolitan issues
and statewide issues with metropolitan significance.
AMM MEMBERS
I. Albertville*
2. Anoka
3. Apple Valley
4. Arden Hills
5. Bayport
6. Bloomington
7. Brooklyn Center
8. Brooklyn Park
9. Burnsville
10. Champlin
11. Chanhassen
12. Chaska
13. Circle Pines
14. Columbia Heights
15. Coon Rapids
16. Cottage Grove
17. Crystal
18. Eagan
19. Eden Prairie
20. Edina
21. Excelsior
22. Falcon Heights
23. Farmington
24. Forest Lake
25 . Fridley
26. Golden Valley
27. Hastings
28. Hopkins
29. Hugo
30. Independence
31. Inver Grove Heights
32. Lake Elmo
33. Lakeville
34. Long Lake
35. Mahtomedi
36. Maplewood
37. Mendota Heights
38. Minneapolis
39. Minnetonka
40. Mound
41. New Brighton
42. Newport
43. North St. Paul
44. Northfield*
45. Oak Park Heights
46. Oakdale
47. Orono
48. Osseo
49. Plymouth
50. Prior Lake
51. Ramsey
52. Richfield
53. Rob binsdale
54. Rosemount
55. St. Anthony
56. St. Francis
57. St. Louis Park
58. St. Michael*
59. St. Paul
60. St. Paul Park
61. Savage
62. Shakopee
63. Shorewood
64. South St. Paul
65. Spring Park
66. Sunfish Lake
67. Three Rivers Park District*
68. Wayzata
69. West St. Paul
70. White Bear Lake
71. Woodbury
72. Woodland
* = Associate Member
2005 Legislative Policies iii
Municipal Revenue &
Taxation (I)
I-A Levy Limits
The AMM strongly opposes levy limits and urges the legislature to not re-enact them. The AMM also
opposes the imposition of artificial mechanisms such as valuation freezes, payroll freezes, reverse
referenda, super majority requirements for levy, or other limitations to the local government budget and
taxing process. Expenditures for capital improvements such as infrastructure reconstruction should not
be subject to levy limits.
I-B Local Government Aid (LGA)
Local Government Aid (LGA), the only remaining form of general purpose state aid to Minnesota cities,
was significantly reduced and reformed by the 2003 Legislature — at a significant cost to most metro-
politan communities. As a result of these changes, 82 of the metropolitan area's 138 cities no longer
receive any LGA.
AMM supports the continuation of Local Government Aid (LGA) to assist those cities who's public
service needs and costs exceed their local ability to pay, but believes the 2003 reforms fall short of
creating a state aid system that is accepted as both fair and understandable. At this time, the state
should avoid any further changes to the "need" or "ability-to-pay" components of the LGA formula, until
a comprehensive and inclusive study of Minnesota's system of tax revenue sources to fund local govern-
ment services, such as that being undertaken by the League of Minnesota Cities' Financing Local
Government Task Force, is completed.
I-C Market Value Homestead Credit (MVHC)
The MVHC is a state aid to individual homestead property taxpayers. It is based on the value of the
individual's property and is shown on the tax statement as a tax reduction from the State of Minnesota.
If the state cannot fully fund MVHC, it should restructure the credit by reducing the amount awarded to
homeowners to the level of available funds. For the state to continue to award MVHC without reim-
bursing local governments violates the principle of truth in taxation.
2005 Legislative Policies 1
Revenue & Taxation
I-D Fiscal Disparity Fund Distribution
The AMM opposes the use of fiscal disparities to fund social or physical metropolitan programs since it
results in a metropolitan-wide property tax increase hidden from the public.
AlAlvl supports the continuation of the fiscal disparities program until such time as an appropriate
replacement is developed.
I-E Limited Market Value (LMV)
The AMM strongly opposes extension of artificial limits in valuing property at market for taxation
purposes to additional property classes since such limitations shift tax burdens to other classes of
property and create disparities between properties of equal value. The Legislature should monitor the
effects of the LMV phase-out to avoid excessive tax burden increases to currently benefiting properties.
The AMM believes that enhanced targeting for special circumstances better serves the tax system.
I-F Transit Funding
Removing transit operating expenses from the property tax and funding them with a percentage of
revenues generated by the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax (MVST) was one component of the property tax
reform package enacted by the 2001 Legislature. Prior to this reform, transit operations in Minnesota
were much more dependent on the property tax as a funding source than transit operations in other
states. The removal of transit operations from the property tax allowed the state to both reverse this
unusual dependence and to provide an equal amount of net property tax relief across the state. The
AMM strongly opposes undoing this reform and returning transit operating expenses to the property
tax.
I-G Constitutional Tax and Expenditure Limits
The AMM strongly opposes including tax and expenditure limits in the state constitution This would
eliminate any flexibility on the part of the Legislature or local governments to respond to unanticipated
critical needs, emergencies, or fluctuating economic situations. When services such as education, public
safety and health care require increased funding beyond the overall limit, experiences in at least one
other state indicate that other publicly-funded services receive less than adequate resources. Constitu-
tional limits result in a reduced base during times of economic downturn and the inability to recover to
previous service levels when economic prosperity returns.
2 Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
Revenue & Taxation
I-H State Property Tax: Oppose Extension to Other Property
The 2001 Property Tax Reform Act shifted general education funding to the state, and funded it, in part,
with a state property tax on corru-nerical/industrial and cabin property. Since cities' only source of
general funds is the property tax, AMM strongly opposes extension of a state levied property tax to
additional classes of property.
Class Rate Tax System
The AMM opposes elimination of the class rate tax system, or applying future levy increases to market
value, since this would further complicate the property tax system.
I-J Personal Property Taxation: Electric Utility
The personal property tax on Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs) is a significant portion of the tax base for
local governments where the utilities are located and a major component of the metropolitan fiscal
disparity pool. AMM opposes exempting IOUs from the personal property tax, as this would result in a
significant shift in tax burdens onto other local taxpayers and the region as a whole.
Current law allows IOUs to receive property tax exemptions for pollution control and abatement
equipment. This exemption is being applied very liberally, resulting in IOUs being able to exempt signifi-
cant amounts of property only tangentially related to pollution control. AMM supports clarifying the
language of the pollution control exemption so that it applies only to equipment that has a direct and
material link to pollution control.
I-K Revenue Diversification
The AMM supports revenue diversification for cities in order to reduce reliance on the property tax.
The AMM opposes legislated reduction or limitation of various license fees, development fees or other
general fees which would force increased property taxes to pay for related services.
I-L Sales Tax on Local Government Purchases
The legislature should reinstate the sales tax exemption for all local government purchases without
requiring a reduction in other aids.
2005 Legislative Policies 3
Revenue & Taxation
I-M City Revenue Stability & Fund Balance
The AMM opposes state attempts to control or restrict city fund balances. These funds are necessary
to maintain fiscal viability, meet unexpected or emergency resource needs, purchase capital goods and
infrastructure, provide adequate cash flow and maintain high-level bond ratings.
I-N Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA) Under-Funding
The 2001 legislature increased employer and employee contributions to PERA by 0.35 percent each,
made some administrative changes in qualification, and extended the amortization period from 20 to 30
years to deal with PERA' s long-term funding deficiency. Based on recent actuarially studies, it appears
additional increases will be needed. The AMM supports employees and cities sharing equally in neces-
sary increases. The state should give cities sufficient notice of any increase for budget purposes and
cover any additional city share if the city increase is greater than that of the employees.
1-0 Aggregate Mining Fee
In order to provide an incentive for the extraction of local aggregate resources prior to urbanized
development and in order to help offset the negative impacts of aggregate mining on local communities,
the state should authorize cities and townships to collect a per ton host community fee from the opera-
tors of aggregate mines, with the fee proceeds to be deposited in the municipality's general fund.
4 Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
General Legislation
II-A Mandates & Local Authority
The AMM opposes statutory changes which erode local control and authority or create mandated
additional tasks requiring new or added local costs without a corresponding state appropriation or
funding mechanism. New unfunded mandates cause increased property taxes which impede cities'
ability to fund traditional service needs.
II-B City Enterprise Activities
AMM supports cities' authority to establish city enterprise operations in response to community needs,
local preferences, state mandates or to ensure residents' quality of life. Creation of an enterprise opera-
tion allows a city to provide the desired service while maintaining financial and management control. The
state should refrain from infringing on this ability to provide and control services for the benefit of
community residents.
II-C Firearms on City Property
Cities should be allowed to prohibit handguns in city-owned buildings, facilities and parks. This would
allow locally-elected officials to determine whether to allow permit-holders to bring guns into municipal
buildings, liquor stores, city council chambers and city-sponsored youth activities. It is not AMTVI' s
intention for cities to have the authority to prohibit legal weapons in parking lots, on city streets or city
sidewalks.
II-D Compensation Limits
The Legislature should acknowledge that all state and local governments, not just school districts, must
be competitive in recruiting and retaining upper level management employees. In addition, there is no
correlation between the compensation of citizen volunteers and career public sector professionals.
Therefore, the state should repeal or modify laws limiting the compensation of a person employed by a
statutory or home rule charter city to the governor's salary.
II-E 911 Telephone Tax
The AMM supports an increase in the current charge per phone line 911 access fee to provide neces-
sary and mandated upgrades and modifications to 911 systems in public safety answering point (PSAP)
2005 Legislative Policies 5
locations throughout the state. This fee increase is needed to maintain reliable emergency communication
services and to comply with the FCC mandate for cell phone automated location identification. The
increased funds should be distributed to the local PSAPs in a fair and appropriate manner. The Legisla-
ture should also restore the Commissioner of Administration's authority to establish the surcharge
amount.
ll-F 800 MHz Radio System
The AMM supports the 800 MHz Radio System, as long as cities are not forced to modify their current
systems or become part of the 800 MHz Radio System until they so choose. The system should provide
a phased transition guaranteeing uninterrupted service and be technically capable of allowing communi-
ties the flexibility to form various coordinated arrangements for dispatching and service provision. Since
the prime advantage of this system is the fact that public safety agencies and other units of local govern-
ment will be able to communicate with each other, state funding of the entire system should be consid-
ered. We urge the retention of a strong Metro Radio Board, which includes representation by the
AMM.
ll-G State Paid Police and Fire Medical Insurance
• The state must fully fund programs that pay for health insurance for police and fire employees
required under M.S. 299A.465, as amended in 1997, for police and fire employees hurt or killed in
the line of duty.
• The Legislature must clarify whether M.S. 299A.465 applies to injuries incurred prior to June 1,
1997 (the effective date of the law).
• The Legislature must clarify the amount of an employer's contribution under M.S. 299A.465 and
whether it changes over time.
• The Legislature must identify a single public entity as the authority for making the disability determi-
nation for purposes of the benefits assigned under M.S. 299A.465, establish the minimum criteria
used to determine ability to work, and set a percentage threshold of disability for eligibility into this
program.
6 Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
Housing & Economic
Development (III)
Introduction
While the provision of housing is predominantly a private-sector, market-driven activity; all levels of
government – federal, state and local – have a role to play in facilitating the production and preservation
of affordable housing in Minnesota.
AMM' s housing policies recognize the intergovernmental nature of this issue — starting with policies A
through D, which outline the role of cities. Cities are responsible for much of the ground-level housing
policy in Minnesota– including land-use planning, building code enforcement, and often times, the
packaging of financial incentives. However, the state must also play a major role by empowering local
units of government and providing a variety of funding programs and tools. Policy E addresses the
state's responsibility to provide financial resources and establish a general direction for housing policy.
Finally, policy F speaks to the urgent need for the federal government to increase its financial support for
the production and preservation of affordable housing.
III-A City Role in Housing
In the state of Minnesota, the provision of housing is predominantly a private sector, market-driven
activity. However, all cities facilitate the development of housing via responsibilities in the areas of land-
use planning, zoning ordinances and subdivision regulations and many cities choose to play an additional
role by providing financial incentives and regulatory relief, participating in state and regional housing
programs and supporting either local or county-wide Housing and Redevelopment Authorities. Cities
are also responsible for ensuring the health and safety of local residents and the structural soundness and
livability of the local housing stock via building permits and inspections.
AMM strongly opposes any effort to reduce, alter or interfere with cities' authority to carry out these
functions in a locally determined manner.
III-B City Role in Lifecycle and Affordable Housing
AMM supports lifecycle and affordable housing and recognizes that it is key to the economic and social
well being of individual communities and the region. Cities can facilitate the production and preservation
of lifecycle and affordable housing by:
• Applying for funding from applicable grant and loan programs;
2005 Legislative Policies 7
Housing and Economic Development
• Working with developers and local residents to blend affordable housing into new and existing
neighborhoods;
• Expediting review processes; and
• Working to reduce locally-imposed development costs.
III-C Livable Communities
The Livable Communities Act (LCA) program operated by the Metropolitan Council provides a
voluntary, incentive-based approach to affordable housing development, brownfield clean-up and
mixed-use, transit-friendly development/redevelopment. AMM strongly supports the continuation of
this approach, which has been widely accepted and is fully utilized by local communities.
Currently the LCA program is primarily funded via a Metropolitan Council property tax levy, which is
subject to levy limits. AMM supports the loosening or removal of these levy limits as well as the
appropriation of additional state funds for this program in order to allow it to more fully meet the dem-
onstrated need that currently exists in the metropolitan area.
Use of interest earnings from LCA funds should be limited to covering the costs of administering the
program. Remaining interest earnings not used for program administration should be considered part of
the LCA funds and used to fund grant requests from the established LCA accounts, according to
established funding criteria..
III-D Inclusionary Housing
AMM supports the location of affordable housing in residential and mixed-use neighborhoods through-
out a city and would support enabling legislation that authorizes cities to utilize new and innovative
means of achieving this goal. However, ANTM does not support passage of a mandatory inclusionary
housing law that would require a certain percentage of units in all new housing developments to be
affordable to households at a particular income level.
Advocates of a mandatory inclusionary housing law often point to its use in Montgomery County,
Maryland. However, AMM does not believe the situation or experiences of Montgomery County are
broadly applicable or transferable to the Twin Cities metropolitan region, given this area's development
stage, housing market and state - local government structure. Furthermore, a close look at the Mont-
gomery County experience shows that the production of affordable housing units has fallen-off signifi-
cantly from the levels achieved in the mid-1980' s to the point where, today, it is not achieving large-
scale production of affordable housing units.
Mandatory inclusionary housing policies are based on the assumption that in every new housing devel-
opment cities are capable of providing enough regulatory relief, via things such as density bonuses and/
8 Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
Housing and Economic Development
or fee waivers, for the developer to produce below market rate units without a direct financial subsidy
or cross-subsidization from the other houses in the development. While AMM does believe there are
cost savings to be achieved through regulatory reform, density bonuses, and fee waivers, AMM does
not believe a mandatory inclusionary housing approach can achieve the desired levels of affordability
solely through these steps.
III-E State Role in Affordable Housing
By establishing and funding statewide housing programs, to be administered by the Minnesota Housing
Finance Agency (MI-IFA), the legislature establishes a general direction/prioritization for the state on
housing issues. The state's financial support of homeless shelters, transitional housing, supportive senior
housing, and low-income family housing is essential to communities throughout the state and should be
continued.
In recent years, the State of Minnesota has been an active partner in addressing lifecycle and affordable
housing issues. However, AMM believes the state's continued, and increased, participation is essential
to addressing this ongoing issue.
Therefore, the state should:
• Increase funding, including state general fund appropriations, for MHFA' s development and redevel-
opment, supportive housing and housing preservation programs and appropriate new funds to help
establish affordable housing land trusts.
• Continue the policy of using MHFA' s investment earnings for housing programs.
• Amend the tax exempt bond allocation statute to maximize its availability for affordable rental
housing.
• Provide exemptions from or reductions to the sales, use and transaction taxes applied to the devel-
opment and production of affordable housing.
• Repeal the $50 reduction from a person or household's monthly Minnesota Family Investment
Program grant if they are residents of public or Section 8 housing.
• Authorize cities to amend their comprehensive plans, in order to facilitate increased lifecycle and
affordable housing, with a simple majority vote of the city council, rather than a super majority.
III-F Federal Role in Affordable Housing
The AMM strongly believes that the financial support of the federal government is necessary in order to
address the affordable housing challenges facing this, and other, metropolitan areas.
Historically the federal government has been a major partner in the provision of affordable housing for
low and moderate-income individuals and families. However, during the last twenty years, the federal
government has significantly reduced its commitment and its financial support— reducing the amount of
funds available for the production of affordable housing and eliminating key tax credit programs.
2005 Legislative Policies 9
Housing and Economic Development
A recent report by the Congressionally-commissioned Millennial Housing Commission reaffirms that
there is a federal role in the provision of low and moderate-income housing, and calls for new or ex-
panded programs in the areas of housing production, tax-exempt bonding, and federal tax credits, as
well as increased flexibility for states spending federal block grant dollars. AMM believes the
Commission's report should serve as a starting point for a federal housing policy that reinserts the
federal government as an active partner with state and local governments and the private sector.
AMM urges the Governor, the Legislature and local governments throughout the region to adopt
memorializing resolutions and utilize other means, such as public forums and roundtable discussions, to
inform federal officials and members of Minnesota's Congressional delegation of the urgent need for
federal support.
III-G Economic Development Responsibilities
The state of Minnesota should continue to recognize cities as the primary unit of government responsible
for implementing economic development policies and land use controls. However, the state should
adopt policies that encourage cities to jointly plan for and implement economic development projects.
New or amended economic development programs designed to address specific economic circum-
stances within cities or counties should use problem definition as the criteria rather than geographic
location, city size or similar criteria.
III-H Eminent Domain
Current Minnesota law gives cities the authority to exercise eminent domain in pursuit of a public
purpose and the responsibility of balancing the rights of private landowners with the interests of the
public. In recent years the Legislature has considered changes to cities' eminent domain powers that
would impose a significantly higher standard of proof, institute judicial review over the deference cur-
rently given to local elected officials, and authorize payment of the challenger's legal fees by cities and
their taxpayers.
These changes would severely limit cities' ability to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their citi-
zens, greatly increase the cost of doing business for the public good, and significantly increase the
likelihood of expensive and time-consuming lawsuits against cities. Therefore, AIVIM supports efforts
to maintain and strengthen cities' ability to exercise the power of eminent domain for economic develop-
ment and redevelopment projects that reduce blight, increase the local tax base and/or create jobs.
10 Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
Housing and Economic Development
III-I Tax Increment Financing
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) has been and continues to be the primary tool available to local commu-
nities for assisting economic development, redevelopment and housing projects. However, recent
judicial decisions and property tax reforms have raised several issues that could require legislative
action. Among the issues are the changing nature of redevelopment, such as the emergence of mixed-
use developments and the concept of economic obsolesce vs. blight; potential shortfalls resulting from
the tax reforms and the scheduling of activities within the TIF district. During the 2044 2005 session,
the legislature should:
• Continue to monitor the impacts of tax reform on TIF districts and, if warranted, provide cities with
additional authority to pay for possible TIF shortfalls.
• Define "mixed-use" and "mixed-income" housing developments and allowable uses of TIF in such
developments.
• Support increased pooling flexibility, relief from the five-year rule and unfreezing of the certified tax
rate for redevelopment projects.
Finally, the current reporting requirements surrounding tax increment financing are costly and burden-
some for cities. AMM urges the State Auditor to work with stakeholders and the Legislature to
streamline TIF reporting requirements to achieve greater efficiency.
HI-J State Role in Redevelopment! Reinvestment
The need to undertake redevelopment/reinvestment activities is a natural part of the development cycle
experienced by all cities. Redevelopment allows local communities to adjust to changing market condi-
tions, better utilize existing public infrastructure, and maintain a viable local tax base. However, due to
the higher up-front costs of redevelopment, as compared to greenfield development, desirable redevel-
opment projects often require public assistance.
The State of Minnesota has a responsibility to work with local governments to provide a practical,
flexible and multi-purpose mix of tools, resources and authorities that will allow local communities to
address the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities of redevelopment.
AMENI supports the establishment of a statewide redevelopment fund administered by the Department of
Employment and Economic Development (DEED), with grants awarded on a competitive basis. Pro-
portional allocations of the grant funding should be earmarked for the metropolitan area and Greater
2005 Legislative Policies 11
Minnesota, with the provision that any unused allocation can be transferred to the other allocation.
AMM also urges the state to provide additional funding for the metropolitan Livable Communities
Program and DEED' s Contamination Clean-Up grant program.
III-K "This Old House" / "This Old Shop"
AMM supports the reenactment of the "This Old House" law (MS273.11 subd. 16), which allowed
owners of older homestead property to defer an increase in their tax capacity resulting from repairs or
improvements to the home. AMM also supports passage of similar legislation for owners of older
commercial/industrial property who make improvements that increase the property's market value by at
least 12%.
12 Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
Metropolitan Agencies (IV)
IV-A Purpose of Metropolitan Governance
The statutorily-defined Twin Cities metropolitan region is made up of 193 cities and townships covering
over 3,000 square miles in seven counties. The effective and efficient delivery of certain public services
and the continued economic growth of this region is enhanced by the existence of a regional entity to
provide coordination and facilitate cooperation.
Therefore, AMM supports the continued existence of a metropolitan governance system for the pur-
pose of:
• Facilitating long-term region-wide planning with the cooperation and consideration of the affected
local units of government; and
• Planning for and providing those public services that are needed by the region, but cannot be
effectively and efficiently provided by local governments or the state.
With or without the Metropolitan Council as it exists today, the region needs some entity to perform
these functions. However, the Twin Cities' metropolitan governance structure should not be granted,
nor should it assume, general local government or state agency powers.
IV-B Roles & Responsibilities of the Metropolitan Council
The primary responsibilities of the Metropolitan Council are to:
• Plan for the orderly and economical development of the metropolitan area by preparing a compre-
hensive development guide that includes long-range comprehensive policy plans for the transporta-
tion, aviation, wastewater treatment and recreational open space systems.
• Review local comprehensive plans for compatibility with the plans of neighboring communities,
consistency with Metropolitan Council policies and conformity with metropolitan system plans.
• Provide specific regional services and administer select regional grant programs as assigned by state
or federal law.
2005 Legislative Policies 13
Metropolitan Agencies
• Provide technical assistance, research and information to local units of government.
Any additional responsibilities taken on by, or authority granted to, the Metropolitan Council should be
the result of a specific statutory assignment or grant.
IV-C Selection of Metropolitan Council Members
Members of the Metropolitan Council should be selected via an open process that includes an opportu-
nity for local governments and other stakeholders to provide meaningful input. Council members should
be understanding of and responsive to the districts they represent while also serving the best interests of
the region. Metropolitan Council members should serve fixed, staggered terms.
IV-D Funding Regional Services
The Metropolitan Council should continue to fund its regional services and activities through a combina-
tion of user fees, property taxes, and state and federal grants.
User fees should be set by the Metropolitan Council via an open and visible process that includes public
notice and public hearings. User fees should be uniform by type of user and set at a level that will: 1)
support effective and efficient public services, based on commonly accepted industry standards; and 2)
allow for sufficient reserves to ensure service and fee stability over the long-term.
Fee proceeds from one service should not be used to fund another regional service or program.
IV-E Regional Systems
There are currently four regional systems defined in statute — transportation, aviation, wastewater
treatment and recreational open space. The purpose of these regional systems and the Metropolitan
Council's authority for them is clearly outlined in state statute. In order to alter the focus or expand the
reach of any of these systems, the Metropolitan Council must seek a statutory change.
The system plans/statements prepared by the Metropolitan Council for these regional systems should be
specific in terms of the size, location and timing of regional investments in order to allow for consider-
ation in local comprehensive planning. System plans should clearly state the criteria by which local plans
will be judged for consistency and the criteria that will be used to find that a local plan is more likely than
not to have a substantial impact on or contain a substantial departure from metropolitan system plans.
Additional regional systems should only be established if there is a compelling metropolitan problem or
concern that can best be addressed through the designation. Common characteristics of the four
existing regional systems include public ownership of the system and its components and an established
regional or state funding source. These characteristics should be present in any new regional system that
might be established. Water supply does not meet these criteria.
14 Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
Metropolitan Agencies
IV-F Review of Local Comprehensive Plans
In reviewing local comprehensive plans and plan amendments, the Metropolitan Council should:
• Recognize that its role is to review and comment, unless it is found that the local plan is more likely
than not to have a substantial impact on or contain a substantial departure from one of the four
system plans.
• Be aware of the statutory time constraints imposed by the legislature on plan amendments and
development applications.
• Provide for immediate effectuation of plan amendments that have no potential for substantial impact
on systems plans.
• Require the information needed for the Metropolitan Council to complete its review, but not pre-
scribe additional content or format beyond that which is required by the Metropolitan Land Use
Planning Act (LUPA).
IV-G Local Zoning Authority
Local governments are responsible for zoning. Local zoning decisions, which are the implementation of
cities' comprehensive plans, should not be conditioned upon the approval of the Metropolitan Council
or any other governmental agency. AMM strongly opposes the creation of any appeals boards with the
authority to supersede city zoning decisions.
IV-H Regional Growth
The most recent regional population forecasts project an additional 930,000 people and 460,000
households for the seven-county metropolitan area by the year 2030.
In order to accommodate this growth in a manner that preserves the region's high quality of life:
• natural resource protection will have to be balanced with growth and development/reinvestment;
• significant new resources will have to be provided for transportation and transit; and
• new households will have to be incorporated into the core cities, first and second-ring suburbs, and
developing cities through both development and redevelopment.
2005 Legislative Policies 15
Metropolitan Agencies
In order for regional and local planning to result in the successful implementation of regional policies:
• the state of Minnesota must contribute additional fmancial resources — particularly in the areas of
transportation and transit, reinvestment, affordable housing development, and the preservation of
parks and open space;
• the Metropolitan Council must recognize the limitations of its authority and continue to work with
cities in a collaborative, incentives-based manner; and
• metropolitan counties and school districts must be brought more thoroughly into the discussion due
to the critical importance of facilities and services such as county roads and public schools in
accommodating forecasted growth.
• greater recognition must be given to the fact that the "true" metropolitan region extends beyond the
traditional seven-county area and the need to work collaboratively with the twelve adjacent counties
in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and the cities within those counties. The region faces environmental,
transportation and land-use issues that connot be solved by the seven-county area alone.
Overall, it is the Metropolitan Council's role, through the regional development guide and its accompa-
nying policy plans, to set broad regional goals and then provide cities with technical assistance and
incentives to achieve those goals. Local governments are ultimately responsible for zoning, land use
planning and development decisions within their borders.
IV-I Comprehensive Planning Schedule
Cities are scheduled to review their comprehensive plans and submit any necesssary updates to the
Metropolitan Council in 2008. The adoption of a new metropolitan development guide does not
warrant a change in this schedule.
Any future changes to the schedule for local comprehensive planning should be accompanied by the
statutory establishment of a complementary schedule for regional planning. This schedule should: (1)
protect cities from being forced into a state of perpetual planning in response to regional actions; and (2)
ensure sufficient time for cities to understand and incorporate regional policies into their local planning
efforts.
IV-J Natural Resource Protection
The Association of Metropolitan Municipalities supports the Metropolitan Council's efforts to compile and
maintain an inventory and assessment ofregionally significant natural resources for the purpose ofprovid-
ing local communities with additional information and technical assistance. However, any additional steps
16 Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
Metropolitan Agencies
taken by the Metropolitan Council regarding the protection of natural resources must recognize that:
• The state has a significant role to play in the protection of natural resources — especially when those
resources are significant to a multi-county area that is home to more than 50 percent of the state's
population and a travel destination for many more. Given the limited availability of resources and the
artificial nature of the metropolitan area's borders, neither the region nor individual metropolitan com-
munities would be well served by assuming primary responsibility for financing and protecting these
resources. AMM urges the state and/or the Metropolitan Council to provide financial assistance for
the preservation of regionally signficant natural resources.
• The completion of local Natural Resource Inventories and Assessments (NRI/A) is not a regional
system nor is it a required component of local comprehensive plans under the Metropolitan Land Use
Planning Act.
• The protection of natural resources will have to be balanced with the need to accommodate growth
and development, reinvest in established communities, encourage more affordable housing and pro-
vide transportation and transit connections. Decisions about the zoning or land-use designations of
specific parcels of land not already contained within a public park, nature preserve or other protected
area are, and should remain, the responsibility of local units of government.
IV-K Water Management
As the Twin Cities region plans for approximately one million new residents by the year 2030, the state
of Minnesota, the Metropolitan Council and individual local governments are facing increasing federal
regulations related to water quality and increasing concerns about the adequacy of our water supply.
These challenges cannot be resolved by shifting the responsibility and cost for regulatory compliance
onto local units of government. They will require financial participation from the state.
Any future changes to state statute and/or administrative rules pertaining to surface water and ground-
water management should seek to clarify responsibilities and reduce duplication among the various
levels of government involved. AMM opposes any changes that will result in additional unfunded
mandates being placed on local units of government or in the reduction of cities' authority in the area of
land-use planning.
In order for cities to participate in their local Water Management Organizations (WM0s) to the best of
their ability, individual city councils should have the authority to appoint a representative of their choice
to their local WMO Board. Therefore, legislation enacted in 1999, limiting who may represent cities on
WMO boards should be repealed.
2005 Legislative Policies 17
Metropolitan Agencies
IV-L Funding Regional Parks & Open Space
In the seven-county metropolitan area, regional parks essentially serve the role of state parks. There-
fore, the state should continue to provide capital funding for the acquisition, development and improve-
ment of these parks. State funding should equal 40 percent of the operating budget for regional parks.
18 Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
Transportation (V)
V-A Transportation Funding
The AMM strongly supports increased funding for transit and highways, both of which are a critical
need in the metropolitan area. In addition, funding for mass transit, including transit ways, light rail or
heavy rail in existing corridors, should be dedicated in a manner consistent with current highway funding.
Funds allocated to the metropolitan area should be flexible so that the most efficient and cost effective
transportation solution may be chosen and the main metropolitan problem (congestion relief) can be
addressed.
The AMM supports a constitutional amendment dedicating the motor vehicle sales tax and/or other
revenue source to a new Surface Transportation Multimodal Fund from which an appropriate amount is
allocated to the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund to replace the auto license tab fee reduction of
2000, and the remaining amount to be used for transit and/or highway needs as priority dictates.
The AMM supports a general gas tax increase, gas tax indexing, and adequate funding for transit. All
non-transportation programs should be funded from sources other than currently dedicated transporta-
tion funds.
V-B Metropolitan Transportation Referendum
The AMM supports a metropolitan area referendum for an additional half-cent or full-cent sales tax to
support major highway and transit needs in the metropolitan area, with the caveat that current state
funding sources, amounts and percentages for the metropolitan area are maintained.
Additional major funding is needed for the metropolitan transportation system over and above current
sources and levels. This is due to projected population increases totalling nearly one million by 2030,
congestion approaching grid lock, and the significantly greater cost of road construction in the metro
area versus rural areas.
V-C Regional Transit System
The Twin Cities metropolitan area needs a multi-modal regional transit system that serves both commut-
ers and the transit-dependent. The transit system should be composed of a mix of HOV lanes, express
and regular route bus service, exclusive transit ways, light rail transit and commuter rail corridors de-
signed to connect residential, employment, retail and entertainment centers. The system should be
regularly monitored and adjusted to ensure routes of service that correspond to the region's changing
travel patterns.
2005 Legislative Policies 19
Transportation
In order to slow the growth in congestion and provide regional residents and visitors with a realistic
alternative to the automobile, the regional transit system needs a funding source that is both stable and
capable of growing with the region. The AMM is opposed to legislative directives that constrain the
ability of metropolitan transit providers to provide a full range of transit services, including reverse-
commute routes, suburb-to-suburb routes, transit hub feeder services or new, experimental services that
may show a low rate of operating cost recovery from the fare box.
V-D Transit Operating Subsidies
The Twin Cities metropolitan area is served by a regional transit system that is now expanding to include
rail transit and dedicated busways. Any operating subsidies necessary to support this system should
come from a regional or statewide funding source. The property taxpayers of individual cities and
counties should not be singled out to fund the operation of specific transit lines or routes of service
within this regional system.
V-E Road Access Fee
In order to fairly provide for major street improvements of primary benefit to a particular subdivision
development but not directly assessable and to allocate cost so that new growth pays its fair share, the
legislature should authorize cities to establish, at their option, a road development access charge to be
collected at the time that subdivisions are approved and/or at the time building permits are issued similar
to park dedication fees.
V-F Transportation Utility
The AMM supports legislation to authorize cities to establish a transportation utility for street construc-
tion and reconstruction of aging infrastructure, similar to the existing storm water utility, so that costs of
improved facilities can be more fairly charged to the users rather than the general population as a whole.
V-G Highway Turnbacks & Funding
The AMM supports jurisdictional reassignment or turnback of roads on a phased basis using functional
classification and other appropriate criteria subject to a corresponding mechanism for adequate funding
of roadway improvements and continuing maintenance.
Cities do not have the financial capacity, other than significant property tax increases, to absorb the
additional roadway responsibilities without new funding sources. The existing municipal turnback fund is
not adequate based on contemplated tumbacks.
20 Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
Transportation
V-H '3C' Transportation Planning Process: Elected Officials Role
The AMM supports continuation of the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB), a majority of local
elected officials membership on the TAB itself and the TAB process, which was developed to meet
federal requirements for designation of the Metropolitan Council as the Metropolitan Planning Organiza-
tion that is responsible for the continuous, comprehensive and cooperative (3C) transportation planning
process to allocate federal funds among metropolitan area projects. This process requirement was
reinforced by the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (IS'I EA) and the 1998
Transportation Efficiency Act for the 21st Century (1EA21).
V-I Red Light Cameras
Cities should be allowed to enforce traffic laws and promote public safety on Minnesota's streets and
highways through the use of cameras at light-regulated intersections. Motion imagining recording system
technology has been proven and is currently used by law enforcement departments in numerous states,
municipalities and other countries. At a minimum, the state should authorize a pilot project or projects
on municipal streets in the metropolitan area.
V-J Airport Noise Mitigation
AMM supports noise abatement programs and expenditures designed to minimize the impacts of
MAC-operated facilities on neighboring communities. The Metropolitan Airports Commission should
determine the design and geographic reach of these programs only after a thorough public input process
that considers the priorities and concerns of the impacted cities and their residents. The MAC and state
should seek long-term solutions to fund the full mitigation package as adopted in 1996 for all homes in
the 64-60 DNL impact area. Noise abatement efforts should be paid for by fees and charges collected
from airport users, as well as state and federal funds.
V-K Cities Under 5,000 Population
Currently cities under 5,000 population receive no state funding or MSA funds for collector or arterial
streets regardless of traffic volume, origination and/or destination. Current CSAH distribution to metro-
politan counties is inadequate to provide for the needs of smaller cities in the metropolitan area. Criteria
such as the number of average daily trips should be established in a small city local road improvement
program for funding qualification and a distribution method devised. Possible funding sources include the
five- percent set-aside account in the Highway User Distribution Fund, modification to county municipal
accounts and/or state general fund.
V-L County State Aid Highway (CSAH) Distribution Formula
2005 Legislative Policies 21
Transportation
The AMM supports modification of the County State Aid Highway (CSAH) distribution formula to
more fairly account for total vehicle miles traveled on metropolitan county CSAH funded roads. Al-
though only 10% of the CSAH roads are in the metro area they account for nearly 50% of the vehicle
miles traveled. The metro counties receive less than 20% of the CSAH distribution and have instituted
city cost participation, whereby cities are now forced to pay up to 45% of a CSAH road project cost in
some areas.
V-M Municipal Input (Consent) for Trunk Highways and County Roads
The previous municipal consent statute for trunk highways was unclear, allowed multiple sign-off times
including just prior to bid letting and allowed project delay. MnDOT never invoked an appeal. The
current statute, as totally re-written in 2001, provides for MnDOT to submit detailed plans with city
cost estimates at a point one and a half to two years prior to bid letting, at which time public hearings
are held for citizen/business/municipal input. If MnDOT does not concur with requested changes,
MnDOT may appeal. Currently, that process would take a maximum of three and a half months and the
results of the appeal board are binding on both the city and MnDOT.
The AMM opposes any change to the current statute that would allow MnDOT to totally disregard the
appeal board ruling for state trunk highways. The result of such a change would significantly minimize
MnDOT's desire or need to negotiate in good faith with the city for appropriate project access and
alignment. Plus it would make the public hearing and appeal process meaningless.
During the 2004 legislative session, the Association of Minnesota Counties proposed eliminating the
municipal consent and appeal process for county road projects. The AMM opposses elimination of the
county road municipal consent and appeal process for the same reasons we oppose changing the
process as it applies to MnDOT trunk highway projects.
V-N Plat Authority
AMNI supports the current law granting counties review and comment authority for access and drainage
issues for city plats abutting county roads. AMM opposes any statute change that would grant the
county veto power or shorten the 120-day city review and permit process time.
V-0 City Speed Limit Control
The AMM supports uniform speed limit control of city roads and streets as currently provided by law
and opposes changes allowing differential speed especially in contiguous cities.
22 Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
Committee Rosters (VI)
Municipal Revenue Policy Committee
Jerry Splinter, City Manager, Coon Rapids (Committee Chair)
Bill Barnhart, Government Relations Representative, Minneapolis
Mark Bernhardson, Manager, Bloomington
Tom Burt, City Manager, Golden Valley
Sherry Bucher, Councilmember, Eden Prairie
William Droste, Mayor, Rosemount
Jerry Faust, Councilmember, St. Anthony
Walt Fehst, City Manager, Columbia Heights
Matt Fulton, City Manager, New Brighton
Heather Harden, Councilmember, Bl000mington
Lee Helgen, Councilmember, St. Paul
Eric Johnson, Administrator, Oak Park Heights
Jim Keinath, City Administrator, Circle Pines
Tom Lawell, City Administrator, Apple Valley
Linda Masica, Councilmember, Edina
Bruce Nawrocki, Councilmember, Columbia Heights
Tammy Omdal, Chief Financial Officer, Burnsville
Samantha Orduno, Manager, Richfield
Don Rambow, Finance Director, White Bear Lake
Douglas Reeder, City Manager, Brooklyn Park
Steven Sinell, City Assessor, Eden Prairie
Steve Stahmer, Administrator, Long Lake
Harlan Strong, Councilmember, Independence
Gertrude Ulrich, Councilmember, Richfield
Jim Willis, City Administrator, Inver Grove Heights
Wendy Wulff, Councilmember, Lakeville
2005 Legislative Policies 23
Committee Rosters
Housing and Economic Development Policy Committee
Tom Goodwin, Councilmember, Apple Valley (Committee Chair)
Bonnie Balach, Contract Consultant, Minneapolis
Janis Callison, Councilmember, Minnetonka
Ultan Duggan, Councilmember, Mendota Heights
Tony Feffer, Councilmember, White Bear Lake
Regina Harris, HRA Director, Bloomington
Jon Hohenstein, Community Dev. Dir., Eagan
Liz Johnson, Planning Commission Mbr., Lake Elmo
Myrna Kragness, Mayor, Brooklyn Center
Chad LeMair, Councilmember, Prior Lake
Anne Norris, City Manager, Crystal
Ron Rankin, Community Development Director, Minnetonka
Steve Stahmer, Administrator, Long Lake
Bob Streetar, Community Development Director, Columbia Heights
John Sullivan, Community Development Dir., Prior Lake
Craig W aldron, Administrator, Oakdale
Liz Workman, Councilmember, Burnsville
Metropolitan Agencies Policy Committee
Anne Hurlburt, Community Development Director, Plymouth (Committee Chair)
Charlie Crichton, Councilmember, Burnsville
Craig Dawson, Administrator, Shorewood
Charles Dillerud, Planner, Lake Elmo
Ulton Duggan, Councilmember, Mendota Heights
Klara Fabry, Dir. of Public Works/Engr., Minneapolis
Dean Johnston, Councilmember, Lake Elmo
Tom Link, Community Development Director, Inver Grove Heights
Steve Mielke, Manager, Lakeville
Tammy Omdal, Chief Financial Officer, Burnsville
Terry Schneider, Councilmember, Minnetonka
James Smith, Councilmember, Independence
Pierre Willette, Gov't Relations Rep., Minneapolis
24 Association of Metropolitan Municipalities
Committee Rosters
Transportaton and General Government Policy Committee
Steve Larson, Mayor, New Brighton (Committee Chair)
Greg Andrews, Dir. of Fin. & Dep. City Manager, Brooklyn Park
Chuck DeVore, Councilmember, White Bear Lake
Steve Elkins, Councilmember, Bloomington
Klara Fabry, Dir. ofPublic Works/Engr., Minneapolis
Chuck Haas, Councilmember, Hugo
Mary Hamann-Roland, Mayor, Apple Valley
Bill Hargis, Mayor, Woodbury
Jon Haukaas, Director ofPublic Works; Fridley
Mary Johnson, Mayor, Independence
Dave Kelso, Councilmember, Circle Pines
Mike Klassen, St. Paul
Steve Lampi, Mayor, Brooklyn Park
Mary McComber, Councilmember, Oak Park Heights
Mark McNeill, Administrator, Shakopee
Joan Molenaar, Councilmember, Champlin
Veid Muiznieks, Councilmember, St. Paul Park
Dave Osberg, Administrator, Hastings
Dave Pokorney, Manager, Chaska
Martin Rafferty, Administrator, Lake Elmo
Ellsworth Stein, Airport Relations Commission, Mendota Heights
Karen Lowery Wagner, Gov't Relations Rep., Minneapolis
Pierre Willette, Gov't Relations Rep., Minneapolis
Wendy Wulff, Councilmember, Lakeville
2005 Legislative Policies 25
CORRECTED MINUTES
MINUTES OF THE
Regular Meeting of the
Edina Transportation Commission
Thursday, October 28, 2004
Edina City Hall
4801 West 50th Street
Community Room
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Chairperson Fred Richards, Marie Thorpe, Jean White, Warren Plante, Joni
Bennett, Les Wanninger
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Dean Dovolis
STAFF PRESENT:
Wayne Houle, Steve Lillehaug, Sharon Allison
Lillehaug handed out revised copies of the 2030 Metropolitan Council Transportation
Plan Comment resolution.
Lillehaug said he learned recently that if problems cannot be identified and explained to
the public and Council they will not be able to get consent. Lillehaug asked the
Commissioners to think for a moment about what is stated in the Background section of
the policy and decide if this is still what they have in mind and if not, let him know so
that he can make the necessary changes to the plan to reflect the direction in which
they are going. He stated further that if they do not believe the concerns and issues in
the draft document to be true, further discussion is needed. He said he does not agree
with everything in the policy but the policy is needed so that they can move forward.
In response, Richards said he's been doing a lot of thinking about what the Commission
can and cannot accomplish. He is concerned they are getting bogged down in minutia.
Richards said there aren't any answers to traffic calming because traffic is here to stay,
it is a global problem. He said he attended two meetings regarding Southdale where
the consultants talked about plans for light rail around that area and he suggested that
the Commissioners may want to learn more about light rail to see if this is an option that
could work for the city or at least identify how the city fit into the regional system and
make recommendations to the Council. Richards said he shares the same feelings as
Lillehaug and it does seem as though the Commission is focusing on traffic calming
instead of bigger traffic issues. He asked the Commissioners for feedback.
White said she reviewed the 2030 Plan and she sent a response to the Met Council
asking that they evaluate Hiawatha's light rail system to see if it's the right path to take.
She too attended the Southdale meeting and believes a bigger strategy for the
neighborhood is needed. She said the Commission should go forward to the Council to
get their reaction to the draft policy.
1
Bennett said the thoughts expressed are one of two concerns she has. The other
concern is whether what has been developed will serve the needs of the community.
Thorpe said the Commissioners have taken on an earth-shattering endeavor and a
tremendous amount of work has been done already. She said what's being done now
is like a safety drill and the real issues will declare themselves and changes can be
made as needed.
Plante said he attended the TH494 and Southdale meetings and all other committees
were represented there except for the ETC. He asked how can the ETC work with them
to coordinate their efforts?
Wanninger said he visited Marin County, California, and was impressed with their local
traffic. He said motorists could use the freeway or the arterials to go across town.
Cutting through the neighborhoods would take much longer because there is no easy
interconnection. They also have 25 mph speed limits that most people seem to obey.
He said traffic moves faster on what appeared to be narrower freeway lanes, and there
were no road rage-type behaviors. He said what we have now is the basis to begin
protecting the livability of the residents. He said although the ETC will not have much
impact on the regional system, he has always assumed that they would become
involved to urge and/or persuade certain actions.
Plante said he believes Southdale is going to have a major impact on the local
community because only 15% of the employees live in Edina, which means 85% are
commuting into the city. Houle said he could schedule a meeting with the consultants,
the city's Planning Department and County representatives for the ETC to learn more
about the mass transit plans for the Southdale area.
White said the Commission could pursue local traffic and have a strategy in place in
anticipation of what's to come. Richards said the point he's trying to make is based on
the mission statement of Edina preserving and being advocates about coming issues
instead of being so focused on today's issues of traffic calming. He said there has been
discussion of an inner city transit system and it seems like something for the
Commission to be involved with to see how it fits in. Wanninger said the ETC could
work on preserving the neighborhood and quality of life while at the same time
controlling traffic because the bulk of their work is over for the next few months.
Bennett asked if the best way is to be proactive or reactive. She said there is no good
solution, which is why the issues keep coming up, but the ETC could create a citywide
menu of solutions that would increase livability in the neighborhoods. She said to adopt
the current framework will perpetuate the problems that the city has had the last 11
years. She said this type of leadership (or at least the perception) during a time of
limited resources have caused people to be concerned about how staff time is spent,
how money is being spent, and ever increasing taxes. She said one of the ETC's
responsibilities is to decide or recommend how the resources are going to be spent.
Thorpe said she thought the plan that they've developed was a citywide plan. Bennett
said she is concerned with how the process works; will it be one block or one
neighborhood asking for relief or will the Commission, as a body, look at the way traffic
and pedestrian moves in the city, where the parks are located and develop common
recommendations that can improve the lives of citizens all over, not just the
2
neighborhood that gets organized the fastest. She said neighborhood versus
neighborhood is probably what has made it so difficult for the city, as well as kept issues
unsolvable and puts the city in a position of not serving everyone. She would like to see
recommendations that would be beneficial to all neighborhoods instead of pitting them
against each other.
Thorpe said a cookie cutter system couldn't be developed because all the
neighborhoods are different. She does not believe the neighborhoods are being pitted
against each other and this is the wrong way for the Commission to begin.
Plante said they spend a lot of time discussing traffic calming measures but community
policing is needed also to make an impact and they haven't addressed this yet. White
said community policing is not like it used to be because of dwindling resources, but
they could advocate for solutions.
Wanninger said in a past meeting he talked about measures to change attitude and
behavior and this was added to the policy. He suggested a public relations campaign to
get citizens to change their behavior and perception.
Richards said the one thing they all agree on is moving to the next stage, which is
forwarding the policy to the Council for approval.
Lillehaug recommended going to Council and to the public from Oct. 28th through Dec.
2nd for public comment, followed by a joint meeting with the Council and ETC on Nov.
16th (tentative). He also recommended holding an open house on Nov. 18th for the
public at the regularly scheduled ETC meeting where the plan would be presented to
them. Commissioners would be provided with the public comments and revise the
policy as needed. The draft would be finalized on Dec. 23rd and submitted to the
Council Jan. 4th for approval.
Review of Draft Policy
Plante asked about the term "assessment roll". Houle said it's included because it is a
part of the Chapter 429 rules that governs how property owners are assessed. The
assessment roll is a list of residents' names and the amount each is being assessed.
Plante suggested including estimated costs for traffic calming devices. Some
Commissioners believe this would help residents to make informed decision, others
believe the focus should be on selecting an option that will achieve the desired result.
Staff is of the opinion that it would be premature to list preliminary costs because the
final assessment amount could be much higher than the preliminary asessment. The
consensus is to leave this area as is.
White — page 12, item 4, first paragraph: add `s' to school.
Bennett
Page 3, Roadway Function and Access, #8, move 'Annually' to the beginning of the
sentence.
Page 5, Pedestrian/Bicycle, #6: "...bicycles and pedestrians along with bicyclists and..."
Page 11, will the Commission get a list of all requested studies? Staff responded yes.
Page 14, top of page, sentence should read The ETC.. .update residents about the
proposed project.'
3
Page 18, Benefited Area, Assessed Area — is not reading as clearly as previous
versions.
Page A-2, add 'ed' to Impact
Motion made by Plante and seconded by White approving the Transportation
Commission Policy.
Ayes: Richards, Thorpe, White, Plant, Wanninger
Opposed: Bennett
Motion carried.
Richards asked if there was enough time allowed for the public to review the document
and comment (16 days). Bennett said she is not comfortable because the community
has not been asked to weigh in, the timeframe suggested is too brief with two holidays
included, it appears comments are only being sought in writing and it is not clear how
the information will be disseminated. Richards said people would have a chance to
comment during the open house.
Lillehaug said he's doing a press release to be published in the Edina Sun, on the cable
channel and various other outlets. Bennett is concerned that the method of publicity
would not reach all residents. Other areas suggested were the City Hall electronic
notice board, the senior center, all the libraries and city's website. Plante said the
Southdale meeting was well publicized and poorly attended so it might not be the case
that the public is not being notified. White said the public seems to be paying closer
attention to public policy so every effort must be made to notify them and get their
support so it does not seem like an inside job.
Lillehaug asked if more time is needed before the open house or the public comment
period? Houle recommended rescheduling the joint council meeting for Dec. 7 th. He
said there might be a lack of concentration at the 12/23 meeting due to the 12/25
holiday. The consensus is to change the meeting dates, meet with the Council before
the open house and notify various sources about the comment period (clubs, League of
Women Voters, Edina Sun, etc.)
Bennett asked what is the timeframe for the comment period. Richards said it never
ends, but Jan. 4th is when the policy goes to Council for approval. Lillehaug said Jan.
4th will have to be pushed back due to other changes and a date should be established
when no more public comment will be accepted. Richards said the document is not
statutory and therefore can be changed at anytime if a good idea comes along. To set
a date he said is too legalistic and gives the impression that residents' comments after
that point is no longer valid. Wanninger said to inform the public of our schedule and let
them know that if they want their comments considered before going to Council, they
must be submitted within a certain timeframe.
The new meeting dates are as follow: joint meeting with Council Dec. 7th, end of official
public comment period Dec. 23`d; policy to Council for approval Jan. 18th. Staff will
reissue new timeline.
Wanninger asked if in addition to what they are currently doing, should they become
more involved in what is happening at Southdale? Richards said he was planning to ask
staff to do a presentation on Dec. 23rd so the Commissioners can see what was
envisioned for the public easements that was set aside.
4
Houle gave an overview of the Oct. 7th Southdale meeting. He said the community
(including non-residents) was invited to look at the greater Southdale area
demographics including such areas as employment, residents and transportation. They
were asked to identify problem areas such as safety, access, etc. Richards said he's
attended the last three meetings of the Southdale Advisory Committee and their primary
focus is on traffic, land use changes and inter-modal/inner-city transit. He said ETC
should be involved with this committee because of the public transit piece.
Richards passed out an article on traffic calming devices.
TH494 Advisory Committee — Wanninger said he noticed an attitude of cooperation at
this meeting. He said the representatives from the Met Council were not telling what
would be done; instead they were explaining the different options of the plan using
different budgetary figures. Plante said Chair Hovland does a good job of heading this
committee. Houle said he's a good asset to Edina where transportation issues are
concerned.
White said she attended a bus/transit presentation by Mn/DOT, City of Minneapolis and
the City of Lakeville. An electronic presentation showed how the highway might look
with rapid transit from Minneapolis to Lakeville and how it would work. They also
discussed how to keep single occupant vehicles out of the rapid transit lane. White said
the legislators have already authorized a BRT route from Minneapolis to Lakeville.
Plante asked if there is a way to know what the different groups are working on where
transportation legislation is concerned. Houle said every August the League of MN
Cities publishes information from think tanks that are working on transportation issues.
Houle will get copies for the Commissioners when it becomes available.
Regarding the sidewalk at Wooddale from 58th St. to 62nd St., Richards asked if the
feedback has been positive. Staff said they haven't received any negative feedback
and people are already using it. Richards said the Commission should look at the
sidewalk plan to finish it. Bennett said they should also look at appropriating tax dollars
towards building sidewalks.
New pedestrian crosswalk at Eden Ave. and 50th — this is a new style of crosswalk. The
paint is stenciled into the asphalt and should last longer. Wanninger asked if staff is
going to gather feedback on the new striping and other signs. Houle said it would be a
good idea to gather feedback.
Approval of Minutes from September 23rd
Correction on page 2, last paragraph: "...the Commission may want to review this
again."
Correction on page 5, 4th paragraph, correct spelling is Mr. Rudnicki.
A motion was made by Wanninger to approve the minutes with the corrections as stated
above. Seconded by Plante.
Residents In Attendance
Kristi Anderson suggested the Edina Community Center and the Southdale notice board
as two other locations where information can be posted regarding the public meeting.
5
Keith Wolfe commended the Commissioners and staff for moving forward with this
important issue. He said there are many great neighborhoods in the city and they need
to be empowered to mitigate the traffic issues. He said staff also needs to be
empowered so that they can tighten or relax standards as necessary. Mr. Wolfe said
this is a great start towards empowering the neighborhoods.
Houle said he and Lillehaug attended a seminar called Systematic Development of
Informed Consent and next meeting he would like to give the Commissioners an
overview of what the seminar was about.
Meeting adjourned. The next meeting is scheduled for November 18, 2004, 6:00 — 8:00
p.m., in the Community Room.
6
Approved Minutes
MINUTES OF THE
Regular Meeting of the
Edina Transportation Commission
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Edina City Hall
4801 West 50th Street
Community Room
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Chairperson Fred Richards, Marie Thorpe, Jean White, Warren Plante, Joni
Bennett, Les Wanninger
MEMBERS ABSENT:
Warren Plante, Dean Dovolis
STAFF PRESENT:
Wayne Houle, Steve Lillehaug, Sharon Allison
Chairperson Richards called the meeting to order. He announced the resignation of
William Skallerud from the Commission. He noted that letters were received from
residents Julia Silvis, dated Sept. 23rd, and Rob Webb. Keith Wolf, a resident in
attendance also presented a letter dated Sept. 23rd.
Approve Minutes from August 26, 2004
The first sentence of the minutes should have read 'Corrections' instead of
'Amendments.'
The following is a correction to the July 22nd minutes: page 3, para. 3 - add 's' to
arterial.
The following are corrections to August 26th minutes:
Page 2, last para. the sentence beginning with "Bennett said..." delete "local" and insert
"collector."
Page 3, item b., Traffic Calming Devices — the four departments that reviewed the
Traffic Management Devices/Measures report gave negative feedback on a number of
the devices. For a detail list please see the report. Item b, last sentence should read
"...for future use and deleting devices with all negative reviews from the list of devices.
Para. 4 — should read "...everyone listed was consulted..."
A motion was made by Wanninger to approve the minutes with the corrections as stated
above. Seconded by Bennett.
Dear Commissioners:
Please replace this page with the first page of your September 23rd minutes.
There was an error in the Members Present and Members Absent section.
Chnrnn Allicnn
Transportation Commission Policy (September 2004 DRAFT) — Consideration for
Approval and Recommendation to the City Council
Lillehaug noted the following changes to the draft policy:
"Collector and arterial" were added to the Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan
although some procedures within the policy may not be applicable to those streets.
Staff is recommending that the petition-to-study be circulated to the benefited areas to
first determine if residents are willing to be assessed. If they are not in favor of the
assessment there would be no need to move forward. If in favor, the survey-to-test
would then be distributed to the impacted area, which would also serve as the
notification area. The benefited (assessed) area would be approximately one block,
while the impacted area would be significantly larger. Notifications would be done via
the website, the Edina Sun as well as the US mail. Bennett said the Edina Sun is not
reliable because of 'spotty' delivery in some areas. Bennett said she recalled from a
previous meeting there was a consensus to keep the impacted area broad. She recalls
language changes which states as follow "If significant diversion to other residential
streets or limitations of access from other residential areas in Edina are reasonably
expected, those area's residents are included in the study area or impacted area." She
stated that Appendix A-2 would have a corresponding definition and recalls the deletion
of the last sentence under the definition of Impacted Area. After discussion, the
consensus is to keep the impacted area defined as is.
In response to Bennett's opinion on impacted area, which differs from the rest of the
Commissioners, Tim Rudnicki addressed the Commission. He thanked and
commended the Commissioners for volunteering. He stated that several months ago he
questioned the process being used (a lack of public input) because the Commission
does not speak for everyone and hope there will be some changes before the policy
goes to Council for approval.
Lillehaug concluded his presentation by explaining that before final implementation
there would be surveys, open houses and public meetings with the Commission.
Wanninger stated that he supports the process being used by the Commission and see
it as a starting point so they have a framework with which to work. He stated further
that there would always be controversies regardless of the process being used.
DRAFT Review:
The following are final omissions, additions or other changes that Commissioners made
to the draft policy:
Wanninger
Page 7: Review volume and speed criteria — why is it included? Lillehaug indicated
that this criteria has been presented to the Commission as part of the Transportation
Plan overview and that the Commission may want to review this again.
Page 11, para. 4: After discussion, the consensus is to delete the 3rd sentence.
Page 12, para 1: After discussion, the consensus is to delete the last two sentences.
2