Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-12-18 Minutes 1 MINUTES OF CITY OF EDINA, MINNESOTA TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION COMMUNITY ROOM DECEMBER 18, 2014 6:00 P.M. ROLL CALL Answering roll call were members Bass, Boettge, Campbell, Iyer, Janovy, LaForce, Nelson, Olson, Rummel, Spanhake and Whited. ABSENT APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA Motion was made by member Janovy and seconded by member LaForce to approve the meeting agenda. All voted aye. Motion carried. APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES REGULAR MEETING OF NOVEMBER 20, 2014 Motion was made by member Janovy and seconded by member Iyer to approve the amended minutes of November 20, 2014. All voted aye. Motion carried. COMMUNITY COMMENT - None. REPORTS/RECOMMENDATIONS Edina Challenge Transportation Priority Discussion Ms. Mamie Segall and Ms. Kris Marshall explained what Edina Challenge was and how the ETC might be able to help. Ms. Segall, the volunteer chair and vice-president for the Edina Community Foundation, explained that Edina Challenge’s two primary goals are to help people understand that there are youths in Edina that face challenges and their mission is to support the disadvantaged youths so that they can take advantage of available community assets. She said there are over 750 students that receive free or reduced lunch in the school district. Ms. Segall said Edina Challenge started in Mar. 2013 as an initiative of the Edina Community Foundation and is actively collaborating with at least 14 groups including the City, school district and others. She said they began by surveying other communities to see what gaps exist for disadvantaged youths and they received 25-30 responses. From this, they identified five key gaps to address which are mentoring, tutoring, funds for extracurricular engagement, housing, and transportation. She said they’ve identified ways to help and have already started in all gap areas except for transportation. She said a lack of transportation eliminates participation in programs and this is where they need the ETC’s expert assistance. Ms. Segall said they’ve reached out to other communities to see what they are doing, contacted ITN, a new transportation service to Edina, and social workers in the school district. She said some recommendations were made but they do not have the transportation expertise. She said they need to understand what the needs are such as where do the youths need to go, when do they need to go and what options are available. She asked if the ETC would consider forming a working group to work with them. Discussion Member Olson said he’s noticed that there are some mothers who do not drive but the family is not low income and asked if the program was solely for low income families, and Ms. Segall said yes. Member Whited said a similar need exists for preschoolers and asked if they’ve reached out to them and Ms. Segall said they have not. Member Whited asked if they’ve considered collaborating with other low income people who also need transportation. Ms. Segall said these are the ideas that they are looking for from the ETC. 2 Member Iyer asked if the working group would include people from other groups or led by the ETC and chair Bass said it would function like other ETC working groups. Member Bass said transportation is an issue that comes up often for seniors and suggested a comprehensive approach to the issue. Member Janovy asked if the students were all Edina residents and Ms. Segall said some are open enrolled but the majority are residents. Member Iyer asked if they’ve identified what they’d like to accomplish in 1-2 years and Ms. Segall said no. Member Janovy suggested forming a small committee to review the research data and discuss forming a working group. Member Boettge said when children don’t have transportation neither do the parents. She asked what can be done for the parents. Ms. Segall said their primary focus is on the youths but they are open to suggestions. Student member Campbell said he participates in zero hour at school but students are expected to provide their own transportation and sees this as an issue for students who don’t have transportation. Member Whited suggested contacting Normandale Community Lutheran Church and VEAP because they have experience transporting children and parents. Member Bass said there are assets already that they can leverage and build on. She said what Edina Challenge wants to do is one slice of a larger challenge in the City. She supports forming the small group committee to provide guidance. Member Nelson asked if there were funds available and Ms. Segall said yes, thru the Edina Community Foundation and they also received a grant from the Edina Rotary. Member Nelson said it seemed majority of rides are school related and there are some difficulties working with the school district who has the buses but would also have expenses. He suggested getting the right people together to begin the discussion and he would be willing to participate. Member Spanhake also expressed an interest in participating. Member LaForce said they’ve spent a significant amount of time creating their 2015 Work Plan and is considering adding another big item to their workload. Member Janovy agreed but said it relates to things already in the Work Plan such as walking, biking, and the circulator. Chair Bass suggested thinking more globally, think beyond the circulator and think more comprehensively. She said there are existing infrastructures that can probably meet multiple needs. Motion was made by member Janovy and seconded by member Iyer to form a temporary sub-committee of up to four members, plus student members, to evaluate the ETC’s role in the Edina Challenge Transportation project. All voted aye. Motion carried. Members Bass, Janovy, Nelson, Spanhake and student members Campbell and Rummel volunteered. Chair Bass will organize the first meeting. Capital Improvement Plan Transportation Projects Planner Nolan explained that all the projects listed were approved for implementation over the next five years. Discussion:  Valley View, Tracy Ave, Valley Ln Roundabout: member Janovy asked if this was related to an item in the Traffic Safety Report and planner Nolan said no. She said this will need discussion and public outreach. 3  Greater Southdale Traffic Model: Member Janovy said she email director Millner about this; she said the study is no longer in the CIP. Planner Nolan said director Millner said the title is poorly worded because it is more of a transportation study. She said the description does not say it’s a study and asked if the ETC will be kept abreast of scoping, etc. and planner Nolan said yes.  On-Street Bike Facility Pavement Markings: member Janovy asked how Bike Edina will be involved and planner Nolan said staff will seek direct input but they have not begun working on this yet.  Cahill Rd/Dewey Hill Rd Roundabout: member Janovy said this is the first time they’ve seen this and it is scheduled for 2015. She asked how bikes will be treated. Also next to Lewis Park so should consider park traffic and pedestrians. Member Nelson added that this intersection is used by many of semi-trucks and there are existing bike lanes.  HRA-North Parking Ramp Expansion: member Whited asked that they keep bike storage in mind.  Oaklawn Ave Sidewalk: member Olson asked if the easement was acquired from the twin homes and planner Nolan said staff is not actively pursuing this at this time and when they do, they will need to consult with the City’s attorney because there is currently a utility easement there.  Promenade Phase 5: member Olson asked if the goal is to go all the way to Crosstown and planner Nolan said yes. He said staff is actively looking at a route thru and around the Galleria and Southdale, and near France Ave that would coordinate with the bridge improvements at Crosstown. Member Bass asked if they would get a chance to provide input on design and planner Nolan said yes. 2013 Street Reconstruction Project Survey Results The following were asked or requested:  To get a copy of the raw data;  Total number of respondents;  How will this influence the future;  What lessons were learned;  To get a copy of the communications study that was done several years ago. Discussion ensued about how to gather meaningful data and the suggestion was made to add this as an agenda item so that they can review the preconstruction questionnaire. Motion was made by member Janovy and seconded by member LaForce to form a temporary sub-committee to discuss pre and post roadway reconstruction data gathering. All voted aye. Motion carried. Members Iyer and LaForce volunteered. Traffic Safety Committee Report of December 3, 2014 A.1. Member Whited asked if the intersection would be closely watched or video-taped again and planner Nolan said they did not discuss this but it could be done. Member Janovy said the information was vague and incomplete. Motion was made by member Janovy and seconded by member LaForce to forward the Dec. 3 report to the City Council. All voted aye. Motion carried. Updates Student Members Discussion ensued about cost of parking at the high school and the process for getting a parking permit; they’re aware if input was being sought from students on Edina Vision but they are vaguely aware of remodeling plans at the high school including a lower level parking lot and moving 9th graders into the high school. They were asked to learn more about the remodeling plans and to report back next month. 4 Bike Edina Working Group Member Janovy said they plan to meet in January to identify action items. Living Streets Working Group Planner Nolan said staff has been working on the context and prioritization section of the plan and decided to include the policy in the plan which means some editing was necessary. The new completion date is Mar. 2015 for City Council approval. Chair Bass requested that track changes be used to show the changes to the policy when it’s presented to the ETC. Walk Edina Working Group Member Boettge said their first meeting is Jan. 6, 6 p.m., in the Mayors Conference Room, City Hall. She asked members to suggest agenda items and member Janovy suggested asking members what messages they hear from the City, if any, and what would be helpful. Member Nelson mentioned the Mayor’s Walk. Chair Bass suggested using the first meeting to establish their purpose, bylaws, etc. to create a strategic focus on implementing walking in a comprehensive way. Member Boettge asked if funds were available because a suggestion was made to print an historical walking map. Member Janovy suggested doing a story for About Town and producing the map in there. Communications Committee Member LaForce asked about the multi-modal education plan and planner Nolan said it will be on the agenda in January. CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITIONS – None. CHAIR AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS Member Janovy said she recalled the ETC would be involved in the multi-modal education plan and planner Nolan said staff regrouped and is rewriting the plan based on the ETC’s suggestions and it will be presented in January. Based on the Dec. 9 public hearing for roadway reconstruction, member Janovy said some streets will be narrowed, and a 4- ft sidewalk was approved despite the recently approved plan for 5-ft sidewalks. She said the cost of implementing Living Streets may be higher than thought so they may need to look at it again and make a recommendation to City Council to this effect. She said the current financial restraint isn’t the only way to look at it. Member Iyer concurred and said there was a cost to doing everything whether it’s being done right or wrong, but doesn’t know how to hold the decision-makers accountable. Member Spanhake said there isn’t enough funding for everything they’d like to do. Chair Bass suggested discussing this when they begin to talk about Living Streets again and while they cannot tell the City Council what to do, the ETC can articulate its intention. Member Whited asked about the Greater Southdale Study schedule because it would appear that smaller decisions are being contemplated that could have implications for the greater neighborhood. Member Janovy concurred and said the Mayor has had conversations about a small area plan aside from the overall transportation study. Chair Bass said they could recommend that the City Council do not detach the two and also do not cut off connectivity of streets as being suggested on W. 72nd Street. A grid layout has been shown to aid walkability. Member Nelson reiterated planning for the sidewalk on Valley View Road as part of the 2015 Birchcrest B Neighborhood Roadway Reconstruction. He said he’s aware that the current residents do not want the sidewalk but the road should be aligned to accommodate it in the future. He likened it to the Cornelia Drive sidewalk that residents did not want several years ago and is now scheduled for construction in 2015. He said the same should be done in Arden Park D where 4 ft. sidewalks are meandering around trees instead of the approved 5 ft. width. Member LaForce asked if it was possible for the City Council to include the Valley View Road sidewalk considering the project has already been bid and has a signed contract. He said the City Council will not raise the issue but maybe the ETC could. Chair Bass said they could recommend to Council that staff realign the road or look at the possibility of including the sidewalk. Member Nelson said he was not pushing for the sidewalk now, just for preparing the road for the sidewalk in the near future. Motion was made by member Janovy and seconded by member LaForce to recommend in an advisory communication to 5 City Council that they consider modifying the 2015 Birchcrest B Neighborhood Roadway Reconstruction project roadway along Valley View Road to accommodate a future sidewalk in recognition of the recently approved Sidewalk Facilities Map. All voted aye. Motion carried. Member Janovy will write the advisory communication and members Laforce and Spanhake will review. STAFF COMMENTS  The Sidewalk Facilities Map was sent to the Met Council and the Comprehensive Plan modification is expected to be approved in 2-3 weeks.  A grant application is being written for the Cornelia Drive sidewalk. A meeting was held to present the plan and gather feedback from area residents (members Boettge and Olson were in attendance). Feedback was positive and staff is moving forward with the plan as presented. Staff is also contacting residents who will be more personally impacted because of landscaping or tree(s) in the right-of-way. If the grant is not approved, the PACS fund will fund the sidewalk.  The variance for the Valley View Road (McCauley Trail to Mark Terrace Drive) project was approved (the variance is for the curve at Comanche Court for the 20 mph speed limit). ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned. ATTENDANCE TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE - 2014 NAME TERM J F* M A M J J A S O N D SM 2/27 SM 3/10 WS 3/18 # of Mtgs Attendance % Meetings/Work Sessions 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 13 Bass, Katherine 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 85% Boettge, Emily 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 12 92% Campbell, Jack student 1 1 1 1 4 31% Iyer, Surya 2/1/2015 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 77% Janovy, Jennifer 2/1/2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 13 100% LaForce, Tom 2/1/2015 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 12 92% Nelson, Paul 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 12 92% Olson, Larry 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 100% Rummel, Anna student 1 1 1 1 4 31% Sierks, Caroline student 1 1 1 3 23% Spanhake, Dawn 2/1/2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 82% Van Dyke, Jackson student 1 1 2 15% Whited, Courtney 2/1/2015 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 85% *Cancelled due to weather