HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-05-19 Minutes
MINUTES OF THE
Edina Transportation Commission
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Edina City Hall
4801 West 50th Street
Council Chambers
I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order by chair Janovy.
II. Roll Call
Answering roll call were Members Bass, Bonneville, Braden, Franzen, Janovy, Schold Davis,
Thompson and McKlveen.
III. Approval of Meeting Agenda
Motion made by Commissioner Franzen and seconded by Commissioner Schold Davis to
approve the agenda. All voted aye. Motion carried.
IV. Adoption of Consent Agenda
Item IV.B., Traffic Safety Report of May 4, 2011 was pulled from the consent agenda.
A. Approval of Minutes -- Regular Meeting of April 21, 2011
The following changes were made to the minutes:
Item II, 1st sentence: delete “…serves a term of 2 years,” and insert “…is eligible to serve two
1-year terms…” 2nd sentence – delete “…also leads…” and insert “…may also lead…”
New 4th para, insert “After closure of the nominations, the Commission took a voice vote and
voted to appoint Chair Janovy as Chair and Commissioner Franzen as vice-chair. All voted
aye.”
Page 4, very top, first para, 2nd sentence from top “should look like.” 2nd para, 2nd sentence
insert “…able to persuade the neighborhood to defeat…”
Page 5, Item XII, Commission Comments: Delete “…is hosting a…” and insert “…offered to
pay for an attendee to the…” Also delete “…and is paying for one member of the ETC to
attend. Commissioner Franzen volunteered to attend.”
Commissioner Schold Davis motioned to approve the corrected minutes and the motion was
seconded by Commissioner Thompson. All voted aye. Motion carried.
B. Traffic Safety Report of May 2, 2011
Section C, item 1, request for an all-way (4-way) stop at the intersection of Tifton Drive and
Everett Place. Assistant City Engineer Sullivan said Commissioner Nelson said via email that
he anticipates the findings will not warrant a stop sign because this is not a cut-thru area and
the grade changes enough to slow drivers.
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V. Community Comment
Chair Janovy said with the new agenda format, they will be taking comments from members of
the public on specific agenda items.
VI. REPORTS/RECOMMENDATIONS
A. Living Streets Resolution Update
Mr. Sullivan said the Council is in favor of the ETC starting the process of developing a Living
Streets policy. Moving forward, Mr. Sullivan said funding for the process willl need to be
considered. North St. Paul spent $200,000 on their Living Streets process, which involved a
fair amount of public input. The Grandview Small Area Study is expected to cost approximately
$100,000. He said the State Health Improvement Program (SHIP), administered by
Bloomington Public Health Department, has a $15,000 grant set aside for Edina that could be
allocated as seed money to start the process; however, it expires in approximately one month.
Mr. Sullivan said they need to create a scope to get the money but considering the limited
timeframe it does not need to be elaborate. Commissioner Bass said the funding was set aside
for policy development in Edina, awaiting the right opportunity. Mr. Sullivan said some of the
state’s requirements on what the money can be used for are developing a policy framework,
paying consultants, and staff time.
Discussion ensued as follow:
Staff or a traffic engineer graduate student working on this.
Establish a sub-committee or committee of the whole to work on this (would not count
towards attendance)
Hiring a consultant as a facilitator.
Staff would explore what other communities have done and write an RFP for a
consultant.
Nine Mile Creek Watershed District was intrigued with the idea of what No. St. Paul did.
The ETC would need to set goals.
No. St. Paul has their Comp Plan incorporated with the Living Streets Policy.
Living Streets document would fit with the city’s Comp Plan, be more readily available
and useable and serve as public education and include a street that would serve as
standard or model.
Should not become an appendix to the Comp Plan; make it an active plan.
W. 70th Street may be an example of what a Living Streets should be when construction
is completed.
Mr. Sullivan said the immediate next step is to secure the funding from Bloomington, followed
by establishing a framework. Commissioner Bonneville challenged everyone to bring a list of
goals, scope items, and standards for discussion at the June meeting.
B. Transportation Commission Ordinance Update
Mr. Sullivan said the proposed ordinance update was presented to the Council, along with a
memo from Director Houle outlining his concerns and seeking clarification on some of the
language in the purpose and duties regarding timeline implication. Additionally, CM Sprague
rewrote the purpose and duties and there is a follow-up memo from Director Houle regarding
items 3 and 7 of the original proposed ordinance.
Review of CM Sprague’s revisions:
Items 2 and 3
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Chair Janovy said CM Sprague took items 2 and 3 from the April 21 draft and inserted “plans
and recommendations” and combined 2 and 3.
After discussion, the consensus was that CM Sprague’s revision was acceptable, and to
address Director Houle’s concern, the Engineering process would not be delayed or
interrupted. The intent is to have an opportunity to review and offer recommendation before a
road reconstruction/improvement goes to Council for final approval. A concern raised was
having the ability to offer recommendations but not being able to truly effect changes because
of the timeline. Mr. Sullivan said he anticipates presenting preliminary plans to the ETC
sometime in November-December, which is approximately two months into the planning
phase. Mr. Sullivan said further that staff’s concern was interpretation of the ordinance and
while the current ETC can reassure of their intent, intent could be interpreted differently in a
few years. It was determined that procedural documents could be written to alleviate the
concerns.
Regarding Director Houle’s concern on “Past projects have not included traffic counts..,” Mr.
Sullivan said requests for traffic counts have increased on many projects and the feeling is that
the ETC will ask about stop signs, etc. and traffic counts become necessary to determine
warrants. Mr. Sullivan said in some instances, through engineering knowledge and judgment,
they can surmise that warrants will not be met and therefore no need to count; however,
engineering knowledge and judgment could be overlooked. Chair Janovy said it is the Council
that is requesting the data, as in the case of 58th and Chowen Avenue.
Item 4
No change.
Item 5
Revision is acceptable.
Item 6
No change.
Item 7
Chair Janovy said CM Sprague is saying that the TSC report should go to the ETC before
going to the Council and CM Brindle expressed concern that the process for the Council
approving regulatory signs would be delayed. After discussion, consensus was reached to
reword as ‘Review and comment on citizens’ transportation concerns, traffic complaint reports,
and data.’
Regarding staff’s suggested process, as stated in the memo from Director Houle, chair Janovy
said it is different from what the ETC has discussed and would probably be more time
consuming for staff.
Commissioner Bonneville motioned to accept CM Sprague’s revision with modifications to item
7 to say ‘Review and comment on citizens’ transportation concerns, traffic complaint reports,
and data’ and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Schold Davis. All voted aye. Motion
carried.
C. Safe Routes to School Application
Mr. Sullivan said the National Safe Routes to School conference is scheduled for 8/16-18 at
the Minneapolis Convention Center, and the Bloomington/Edina/Richfield State Initiative
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Program (SHIP) is sponsoring members from the BETF and ETC to attend. Commissioner
Bass said she will be there as one of the lead organizers for Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
Additionally, Mr. Sullivan said the state has appropriated $4.2 million for Safe Routes to School
funding and applications are due mid-June. He said they are working to identify preferred sites
in the community with the help of one BETF member, chair Janovy, two school district staff
and engineering staff, and in their first meeting, Southview, Cornelia, and Creek Valley/Valley
View campuses were identified as preferred sites for infrastructure improvements (high
schools are not eligible). Improvements can be sidewalks, road realignment, pedestrian
activated crossing signals, roundabouts etc. Meeting participants were asked to drive the
preferred sites to see what improvements they feel is needed and as part of the application
process, the site that receives the highest score would be improved. Mr. Sullivan encouraged
the ETC to visit the sites also and provide feedback. He said award could be approximately
$200,000.
Commissioner Bass said as part of the criteria she would be looking for potential for impact to
change behaviors, level of support, encouragement and education.
D. France Avenue Study
Mr. Sullivan said CM Sprague asked that the ETC look at France Avenue from TH-494 to
crosstown. Handouts given to the ETC for this discussion included:
1. Local Traffic Task Force Findings and Recommendations, May 2003
2. Greater Southdale Area Final Land Use and Transportation Study Report, Dec 2005
3. France Avenue Corridor Study, Apr 2009
4. Federal Transportation Enhancement Funding - 72nd Street Pedestrian Bridge, Jul 2007.
Discussion ensued about the 72nd Street Bridge. Mr. Sullivan said the first reference of the
bridge is in the Greater Southdale Study and it was looked at more in-depth with the
Promenade. He said federal funding for the bridge has a sunset date of March 31, 2012, and
that the City is moving forward with Request for Qualification (RFQ) for a consultant by mid-
June. He said required matching funds would come from the TIF district.
During discussion the following were shared: the bridge is not in the right location; TIF money
can be better spent; there is advantage to the bridge and retrofitting with the roadway; the
studies on France Avenue are not connected; do not know enough to make informed decision;
inadequate data; trail to the south does not connect; and overbuilding and not serving society.
Chair Janovy said since Council has formally asked them to look at France Avenue they will
need more information including answers to: Can the scope of the project (bridge over France
Avenue that received federal funding) be changed? Can this money be redirected? Did the
context sensitive design process take place in 2008 or 2009?
E. Bike Edina Task Force Study
None.
F. Grandview Small Area Study Update
Commissioner Nelson reported the following via email: Meeting held May 12, 7-9 p.m. at Edina
Senior Center. The four workgroups updated the group as to their work to date, then a
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visioning exercise was held for small groups to consider a) what do we want in the District?, b)
is it consistent with the Guiding Principles?, c) what do we need to make it happen?
The four workgroups focus around the areas of: 1) Community Needs and Public Realm; 2)
Market Analysis and Finance; 3) Land Use and Community Design; 4) Transportation. The
Community Needs group held an open house for the community to provide input on May 10th
at the Edina Library. The Market Analysis group is looking to do some housing studies and
considering the potential development of a new TIF district. NOTE: the Southdale Area TIF
District has approximately $12 million with another $12 million to come in the next 4 years -
this money is required to stay in the TIF district and will be used to make improvements to the
area. The Land Use / Community Design discussed a few projects that have made a
significant impact in the regions completed. The Chicago Millennium Park project covered a
large area of parking and train tracks with green/park space for the community. A publication
of early Minneapolis planning was shared with plans to center Minneapolis around the river -
those plans were never followed and the City is still working to make the river a focus of the
City even today. One of the committee members attended a St. Louis Park meeting regarding
the freight rail issue that City is dealing with and reported that 42 homes are being proposed to
be demolished with one of the concept plans. The Transportation group has identified several
issues w.r.t. transportation and will guide discussion around the area of (1) access to and
through the area; (2) future light rail potential and/or access to the proposed SW Transistway
line via the existing rail with bus or rail service; (3) biking and walking improvements; (4)
reconfiguration of Hwy 100 ramps; (5) automobile traffic; (6) circulator vehicle potential.
The visioning exercise provided several interesting concepts and ideas for the area.
Commissioner Bonneville was also in attendance and may provide additional comments on
this meeting. The future workgroup sessions are set for the 3rd Thursday of the next 4 months
(6/16; 7/21; 8/18; 9/15) a concern was raised as to the conflict that Mr. Bonneville and I will
have with the ETC meetings held on the same evening.
VII. CORRESPONDENCE AND PETITIONS
None.
VIII. CHAIR AND COMMISSION MEMBER COMMENTS
Commissioner Bass said they had their first bike/walk to school at Creek Valley on May 5 and
74% participated.
IX. STAFF COMMENTS
Reminder to contact Mr. Sullivan if interested in attending the Safe Routes to School
conference.
X. ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Braden motioned to adjourn the meeting and the motion was seconded by
Commissioner Bonneville. All voted aye. Motion carried.