City Council Minutes 05-22-1978MONTICELLO CITY COUNCIL
Regular Meeting
May 22, 1978 — 6:30 P.M.
Members present: Con Johnson, Gene Walters, Dan Blonigen, Phil White, Arve Grimsmo.
1. Informational Meeting on the 1977-3 Improvement Project.
Keith Nelson, Project Engineer for the 1977=Street Project, summarized for
the Council and the citizens present the construction phases scheduled to
start approximately May 30, 1978. Mr. Nelson stated that the town will
be divided into four sections using Highway 25 and Broadway Avenue as the
dividing points.
Section I of the project, located in the Southwest quadrant, will begin
approximately May 30th with a completion date of Mid -August. The next
Phase of the Project will be in the Northwest of the City and start towards
the end of July with an August 31st completion date. Phase 3 of the
Project will be in the Northeast quarter of the City and is expected to
start approximately August 7th with completion around September 15th.
The final section of the City, the Southeast quarter, is expected to start
approximately August 28th with a completion of October 6th.
Mr. Nelson indicated that all attempts will be made to contact each owner
in regards to the concrete driveway aprons that will be constructed with
the curb and gutter. The aprons will generally be constructed to match the
widths of existing driveways at their present location, but he did indicate
that the Council, in residential areas, will permit some driveway widths
greater than 181 as long as the homeowner or business agrees to pay an
additional $7.75 per lineal foot over 181 in width.
Numerous questions were asked by the residents present regarding street
widths, the number of trees that may have to be removed because of construc—
tion, and other questions relating to the project. Mr. Nelson indicated
that the construction crew and the City will be replacing any trees that have
to be removed from the boulevards with all attempts being made to offer
the homeowner a choice of species for replacement. It was indicated that
approximately 50 trees may have to be removed during the construction
project.
Bill Sandberg, a resident on East River Street, asked that the Council con—
sider resurveying the portion of the street near Ellison Park because he
felt the road should be further to the River than what the proposed plans
indicate. Mr. Nelson indicated that the present street width is approxi—
mately 281, but will be widened to a 361 road with the extra additional
81 coming off the Southern side of the street. The Engineers did indicate
that they will recheck their survey to confirm the actual road alignment
for this portion of River Street.
Minutes — 5/22/78
Mr. Nelson indicated that the streets will not be paved until approximately
September or October, and will probably be done in three or four phases. In
the meantime, citizens will be able to use the streets on a limited basis
even though the asphalt has not been completed. He also indicated that at
no time will both the North—South and East—West streets in a given area be
closed to traffic at the same time.
It was the Councilts consensus that during the construction project a
weekly meeting will be held each Friday morning in the old City Hall at
7:30 A.M. for informational purposes for all citizens and Council members.
2. Consideration of Adoption of Assessment Policy.
At the last Council meeting, a draft of the Assessment Policy was reviewed
by Ron Langness, with Springsted, Inc. King Forness, of Springsted, Inc.,
has since reviewed with John Badalich, City Engineer, the Assessment Policy.
Mr. Badalich has indicated a number of changes he would like seen in the
final policy draft. Mr. Forness reviewed with the City Council the changes
indicated by the City Engineer on both the Assessment Policy draft and the
Subdivision Policy.
By council consensus, the following items were recommended for inclusion in
the final Assessment Policy draft.
1. Standard Size Residential Lot.
Each unit parcel assessment for residential lots would be based on the
City's minimum lot size requirements of 801.
2. Lateral Assessments Against Property Zoned and/or Currently Used at the
Time of Installation for Multiple Family Residential ' Construction.
This shall be determined on the basis of 75% of the Single Family
Residential equivalent unit per each proposed dwelling unit.
3. Should the City grant a permit splitting of a platted lot originally
assessed as one unit, a connection charge shall be made in an amount
equal to the original assessment with no escalation based on engineering
costs or interest shall be added to the original assessment.
4. Storm sewer shall be assessed 100% against the benefitted property,
whether or not the services are made immediately available to the property.
The assessments in undeveloped areas will be based on a net platted area
for residential at 75% of gross area and 90% of gross area for multiple,
commercial or industrial zoned areas. -
5. When a lift station is determined to be of general or partial benefit
to the City, it should be paid for wholly or partially through sewer
user charges, rather than ad valorem taxes.
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Minutes - 5/22/78
6. Storm sewer assessments shall be based on the actual cost of the
project, even though future construction may be necessary and would
result in more than one assessment to a given parcel.
7. Street improvement assessments should be based over a ten-year period
rather than 20 years. In addition, all street improvements including
curb and gutter shall be assessed on front foot basis. The footage
shall be determined to be the footage at the building setback line,
but in no event shall be less than the minimum lot width required by
the City, or 801. In a new subdivision development, the developer
could have the street assessments based on a per unit basis rather
than front footage if he would desire.
8. A developer of a new subdivision would be required to deposit with
the City a minimum of 25% of the proposed improvement cost before
construction would take place for any sewer and water, street,
curb and gutter improvements.
Mr. King Forness was instructed to incorporate the items listed above into
a new assessment draft for review by the Council at their next meeting.
3. Consideration of Final Plat - Balboul Estates.
This preliminary plat has been approved by the Planning Commission and the
City Council at their ,April 24th meeting. The plat consists of 16.76 acres
with 31 residential lots ranging in size from 12,100 square feet to 2.,100
square feet. Additionally, an area of approximately 3.1 acres has been
dedicated for park purposes.
A motion was made by Phil White, seconded by Dan Blonigen and unanimously
carried to approve the final plat as presented.
4. Consideration of Acknowledging Petition and Ordering Feasibility Report -
Extension of 7th Street.
A petition has been received from Land Projects, owners of Lots 3, 4 & 5
of Block 7 in Monticello, requesting that the City improve 7th Street with
curb, gutter and bituminous surfacing, sewer and water from the corner of
Locust and 7th to the westerly edge of the platted 7th Street. Since a
new collector street has been previously proposed to connect from West County
Road 39 along Interstate 94 to connect with the platted 7th Street,
the Council asked that the City Engineer study the possible 7th Street
extension alignment before a feasibility study is completed on the above
request. Mr. Badalich indicated that because of the possible alignment
factors for this new road, the existing portion of 7th Street requesting
sewer and water improvements may have to be somewhat repositioned.
Since this petition was actually received after March 1, 1978 deadline for
1978 improvement, the Council decided to table any action on this request
until a future date to enable the study to be completed.
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Minutes — 5/22/78
5. Public Hearing — Consideration of Vacation of a Portion of Former County
Road #117.
Stuart Hoglund requested that the City Council vacate that portion of
former County Road #117 lying immediately East of his bus garage South
of I-94. This segment of former County Road #117 is not currently being
utilized by the City, but the City does have a watermain under this
segment of the platted street.
Since the City has no future plans for developing this portion of the
Road, a motion was made by Phil White, seconded by Dan Blonigen and
unanimously carried to vacate this portion of County Road #117 with
the City keeping all utility easements including electric, gas and
telephone utility rights. In addition, the abutting property owner
or owners would be required to pick up all legal costs of having this
vacation recorded and transferred.
6. Consideration of Ordinance Amendment Relative to Area and Height Limitations
on Pylon Signs.
At the City Council's last meeting relative to reviewing the Comprehensive
Plan and zoning ordinance district amendments, it was decided to defer any
action on the area and height limitations regarding pylon signs for further
review. The following amendment was proposed by the Planning Commission
at the time they reviewed the ordinance amendments:
Road Classification
Proposed Proposed
Speed Area Current Height Current
MPH S .Ft. Area feet Height
Major Thoroughfares 30 100 50 22 18
40 150 125 25 24
50 200 175 28 28
A motion was made by Dan Blonigen, seconded by Phil White to accept the
ordinance amendment on signs as proposed. Voting in favor: Blonigen,
Johnson, White. Opposed: Walters and Grimsmo. Ordinance Amendment,
therefore, died for lack of 4/5's vote which is needed for any change.
7. Consideration of League of Cities Insurance Program.
The League of Minnesota Cities is attempting to create an alternative to
the convention commercial insurance market due to the rising insurance
costs. The League was looking at the possibility of studying whether a
League owned insurance company or some form of joint self—insurance
program may not help reduce the insurance costs for Minnesota cities
Because of budget limitations, the League of Minnesota Cities asked
that each individual city contribute an amount not to exceed $100.00
towards this study. Since Monticello's insurance cost has approached
$10,000 and the premiums so far indicate a 25% to 309 increase in 1978, a
motion was made by Gene Walters, seconded by Phil White and unanimously
carried to approve Monticello cooperating with the League of Cities in
establishing an alternate insurance program and authorizing an amount up
to $100.00 towards this study.
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Minutes - 5/22/78
8. Approval of Bills.
Motion was made by Grimsmo, seconded by White and unanimously carried to
approve the bills for May 1978 as presented. (See supplement 5-22-78 #1.).
9. Approval of Minutes.
Motion was made by Phil White, seconded by Gene Walters and unanimously
carried to approve the Minutes of May 8, 1978 as presented, with the note
that Agenda Item 7 will be corrected to read that the Change Order for
Thomas Industrial Park was in the amount of $38,672.45 instead of the
$5,971.00, as noted in the Minutes.
The Minutes of the City Council held May 16, 1978, were also approved as
presented.
10. Consideration of Confirming Contract Award on 1977--3 Street Improvement
Project - Section 2.
At the April 24, 1978 Council Meeting, a motion was made to accept the
low base bid of Arcon Construction for the 1977-3 Street Improvement
Project contingent upon State Aid approval of the plans and specifications
for Section 21 which comprise the County State Aid Roads.
John Badalich informed the Council that the State has given final
approval to the plans and specifications for Section 2, and now ask
that the Council reaffirm the awarding of the contract to Arcon Construction
for this portion.
Motion was made by Phil White, seconded by Arve Grimsmo and unanimously
carried to approve awarding the contract on the 1977-3 project for Section 2
to Arcon Construction in the amount of $2,495,253-50.
11. Discussion on Additional Curb and Gutter Improvements - 27-3 Street Improvement
Proms_
Councilman Dan Blonigen asked that the Council reconsider their previous
decision and install curb and gutter from lath Street to the railroad tracks
along Vine Street. A previous decision had been made that since this is a
deadend street and will not be generally used by the public as is the case
with other streets of a similar nature, curb and gutter would not be construc-
ted. Mr. Blonigen indicated that there may be problems with storm water
drainage if a curb and gutter is not provided along this street and made a
motion to have the Engineer review this portion in regards to storm drainage
affects with the addition of curb and gutter under the 77 street program.
Hearing no second, the motion died.
12. Miscellaneous.
A. Richard Bouley, of the River Terrace Trailer Park, requested a special
meeting be held by the City Council to consider a building permit for
the River Terrace Trailer Park. Concensus of the Council was to not
schedule a special meeting for this building permit request.
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Minutes - 5/22/78
B. Concensus of the Council was to use any extra Class 5 that would be
available from the Street project onto the Industrial Drive gravel
road at the Easterly end of the Industrial Park for purposes of
minimum maintenance.
C. Requested that the feasibility report on the 1978 Improvement Project
hearing to be held June 12, 1978 contain both individual project cost
assessments and assessments based on lumping all projects together as
a unit.
Meeting adjourned.
'chard Wol teller
Assistant Administrator
RW/ns
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