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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/17/1983CITY OF APPLE VALLEY Dakota County, Minnesota November 17, 1983 Minutes of the special meeting of the City Council of Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota, held November 17, 1983, at 8:00 o'clock p.m., pursuant to due call and notice thereof. PRESENT: Mayor Overgard; Councilmembers Holton, Humphrey and Savanick; Clerk Asleson. ABSENT: Councilmember Branning. Mayor Overgard called the meeting to order at 8:00 p.m., and stated the purpose of the meeting is to address concerns of residents about the construction of future County Road 38. On August 25, 1983, the Council adopted a tentative construction schedule on the road. At the Council's meeting of October 13, 1983, residents re- quested additional study on the need for the road. The Mayor asked John Gretz to give a presentation on plans for the road. Mr. Gretz said future County Road 38 is shown as a minor arterial in the comprehen- sive plans of Burnsville, Apple Valley and Rosemount. He described the basic dif- ferent types of streets: Residential - 32 feet wide; Neighborhood Collector - 44 feet wide; Community Collector - 52 feet wide; Minor Arterial - 52 feet wide with median and turn lanes; and Intermediate or Major Arterial - multi-lane or freeway design. He also reviewed traffic carrying capacity of these types of streets. Mr. Gretz said future County Road 38 has been designated a minor arterial based on studies done in 1976 by MnDOT in connection with.the Zoo; in 1979 with the Apple Valley Comprehensive Plan and by the Metropolitan Council; in 1980 with the Dakota County Comprehensive Plan; and in 1983 by Burnsville known as the Strgar Report. Ail of these studies have indicated a need for something larger than a 32-foot wide street in the area of future County Road 38 as early as 1990 to 2000, but more likely by the year 2020. The traffic counts on County Road 42 are now 24,000 A.D.T. and the road is designed for 10,000 to 15,000 A.D.T. Minor arterials located at one to two mile intervals are planned to alleviate some of this congestion; and future County Road 38 is one of these. Alternatives suggested have been reviewed and Mr. Gretz described these. County Road 46 (160th Street) is shown as a minor arterial, but it will not help traffic in the northern part of the City. Because 140th Street does not extend east, as a minor arterial, through Rosemount, it would not help cross-county traffic. Cliff Road is three miles north of 140th Street, farther than the one or two mile interval between minor arterials required. Mr. Gretz reviewed current estimated construction costs for the various roads on an average per mile basis: Residential - $300,000; Neighborhood Collector - $500,000; Community Collector - $750,000; Minor Arterial - $1,000,000; Major Arterial - $2,000,000+. Funding methods for the road have not been addressed at this time, but right-of-way for the road has been acquired. In conclusion, Mr. Gretz said regardless of what Apple Valley does, Burnsville and Rosemount will be constructing the road in their communities. Studies to date show a need for something wider than a 32-foot street in the area of future County Road 38, but a design has not yet been determined. CITY OF APPLE VALLEY Dakota County, Minnesota November 17, 1983 Page 2 Bill Hanley, 8484 West 133rd Street, read a position paper previously presented to the Council at its October 13, 1983 meeting. Mr. Hanley said he believes previous studies are outdated and traffic counts should be taken again after Cedar Avenue opens. County Road 46 should be considered as an alternative and it would be less expensive to build. Mayor Overgard said it was always intended that County Road 46 be built and County Road 38 will be needed in addition. Councilmember Holton said the Planning Commission's latest review of the City's Comprehensive Plan shows in- creased density in the City at saturation development which would create even more of a need for the roads. Mary Kay Kruger, 100 Belmont Road, said she believes the speed limit on existing County Road 38 should be reduced and asked what will happen with this road if future County Road 38 is not built? Mr. Gretz said.this road will not be turned back to the City until future County Road 38 is built; it would remain a County road. He said he would find out when the last speed limit study was made on the road; the speed limits are sent by MnDOT and another study would have to be requested by Dakota County if necessary. Dave Paradeau, 8488 West 133rd Street, disputed traffic studies previously done and gave statistics on traffic based on current Zoo attendance. He concluded that Zoo traffic has minimal effect on rush hour traffic and should not be used in support of the road. Mr. Gretz said the 1976 MnDOT study related to the Zoo indicated this road would be needed in the future but not necessarily for the Zoo. Steve Spray, 316 Palomino Drive, said he has lived here since 1977 and plans have always shown that County Road 38 would be moved south. Realtors have told buyers the road would be built and from the recent growth and future growth in the City, there is a need for the road. Bob Seigfried. 8489 West 133rd Street, asked that studies on the road be re-examined when Cedar Avenue opens. He showed a map of current roads and said existing roads in the area are adequate especially when 35E is finished. He said the road will be too expensive to build, a detriment to the residential area and will slow residen- tial development near it. Joe Sahli, 13375 Havelock Trail, questioned what benefit the road would be to Apple Valley because future development near the Burnsville Center will be south of it. This road would only provide access to the north side. and future development would show a need for County Road 46 instead. Mr. Gretz said it is not intended to build the road for quite a few years and a decision will be made at that time. Mr. Sahli gave statistics on where traffic to Burnsville Center originates and said he be- lieves people will still use County Road 42; not 38. Bob Longley, 100 Sweetwater Drive, said this dicussion is only about the area west of Cedar Avenue. If the road is built east of Cedar, where it is also needed, and stops at Cedar, it will limit access to the eastern part of the City. Mr. Hanley said projections show light population in that area so the road would not be needed for that reason. Jerry McKoskey, 13300 Havelock Trail, said the Burnsville report used,as a reference source, estimates which were not documented or the statistical basis for the esti- mates given. A qualified consultant should be hired to do an unbiased report on the need for the road. Mr. Gretz said he would agree a future Study on the road should be made, but not until after Cedar Avenue and 35E open. If the road is not built until 1990, any study done now would probably change. CITY OF APPLE VALLEY Dakota County, Minnesota November 17, 1983 Page 3 Bill Hanley said if the Council is serious about making a study before building the road, he would ask that an actual study be done and not a "rubber stamp" of Burnsville's report. Mayor Overgard said all the affected cities did studies in 1977 and though it would be the intent of the present Councilmembers to do another study in the future, this Council cannot commit a future Council to such action. Joe Sahli questioned this statement and said he had been advised differently in another city. Mr. Asleson said it would depend on the action of the council, execution of a contract for something to be performed is different from a recommendation to do something, but this could be clarified further with the City Attorney. Noel Kruger, 100 Belmont Road, asked what a solution would be to traffic problems on Palomino Drive? Councitmember Savanick said she does not believe this can be properly addressed until after Cedar Avenue opens and traffic patterns are set. Jerry Otto, of the Heritage Hills area, said if the City does not at least plan for future County Road 38, Palomino Drive will have to carry all the traffic and he believes the road is needed. David Olson, 244 Palomino Drive, said he moved here in 1967 and has been waiting for the new road to be built and it will be needed. Robert Braun, 284 Palomino Drive, said the new road may not be needed now, but it definitely will be needed in six to eight years. Jim Hedding, 123 Beaumont Court, said the City has planned for the future and it should at least keep the County Road 38 right,of-way available. Mayor Overgard noted that others present at this meeting were: County Commissioner Loeding, Representative Rodriguez, Senator Wegscheid, Ann Hopkins of the Dakota County Highway Department, Charles Siggerud of Burnsville, Mayor Leland Knutson and Dean Johnson of Rosemount. The Council concluded by agreeing it would be unwise to make a decision on construc- tion of the road now, but the right-of-way should be maintained so a decision can be made in the future. The road has always been planned for and shown on City plans. The meeting was adjourned at 9:32 o'clock p.m.