04-08-1991 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING HELD MARCH 25, 1991 y' i: (112)HIGE]WAy 12 CORRIDOR RECOMMENDATION CONTINUED necessary for u;> to take a stand against a certain high\;ay design. *;e are not design engineers, such a recorur.endation nay lead us into a fight with MNDOT over design, and at this point we do not knov; what MNDJT is going to propose. I am not sure that including a reconunendation regarding the type of road we \/ould like, will yield the results v;e want. Perhaps it \/ouid be more appropriate for Council to iadicate fiat \/e agree with the reconunendation. particularly in regard to the corridor location and the necessity to not have any additional east/west arcess, and those items which more directly relate to the location of the corridor. We could then work on a draft to send to flNDOT. I do not feel that we are pressed at this point to get this to MNDOT, and some of the things we will be saying v/ill give them an opportunity to divert our attention.'* Goetten believed that the recommendation, as presented by the Planning Commission, provides the City with a negotiating tool. Callahan stated that the point ''f negotiating has nvat been reached yet, because MNDOT has not taken a position. He said, 'However, once we send this document, we will be making them aware of our position, and yet we have not taken a precise position on design. We have narrov/ed MNDOT's choices. I would vote in favor of accepting the recommendation, even thougn I may not come to the same conclusions regarding the gray areas of design. I would figure th/-.t as the plan develops from our point of vie\/ that we could adgust it as things begin to happen. If I v/ere adopting this recommendation, based solely on what the City would like to do. I would have no problem v^ith that." Jabbour suggested, in light of Goetten's and Callahan's concerns, that it may be appropriate for Council's motion to include adoption of the recommendation only, and reserve the time frame for sending it to MND)T at a later. Butler stated that obviously the document before them v/ould not be stuffed into an envelope and mailed to MND ,'T tomorrow. She said, "A cover letter will have to be drafted explaining our position. When working with the County Highv/ay Department on County Road 15. they had taken a position that the road had to be upgraded to a four-lane. The three Cities got together and provided them \/ith a position that they could do anything \/ithin the existing right-of-way. and that we wanted t.he road paved and striped in accordance with its usage. The County officials were pleased to have had tliat direction and proceeded to do exactly what we had asked them to do." Goetten agreed with Jabbour that a cover letter could be drafted and presented at the April 8. 1991 Council meeting prior to sending the recommendation to MNDOT. She stated that the newspapers will publish the City's recommendation. so the citizens will know. Butler noted that her motion v/as to accept the recommendation and send it to MNDOT, but did not include a specific time for sending it. Mayor Peterson recognized Maureen Bellows. - 27 -