Agenda - Public Works Committee - 09/19/2000

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PW CASE UPDATE ON SUNWOOD DRIVE IMPROVEMENT BETWEEN C.R. #116 TO C.R. #57 Brian E. OIson, City Engineer Background: T~s section of road has been identified in the 2000 C.I.P. and would provide access, sewer, water and storm sewer to over 50 acres of commercial and industrial property south of the landfill site. The property is currently owned by the State of Minnesota. Along with the benefit of providing access to the commercial and industrial property, this proposed section of roadway would complete a 2.5 mile continuous segment from Trunk Highway #47 and Ramsey Boulevard. The project cost estimate outlined in the C.I.P is $893,504. Of this project cost, $750,000 was estimated to be funded from Municipal State Aid Funds, $71,504 was estimated to be funded from the Public Improvement Revolving Fund, and $110,000 was estimated for sewer and water utility construction. Observations: In 1996, the City constructed a section of Sunwood Drive between Trunk Highway 5 and C.R. #57. As part of that project, the City was required to submit an application for a wetland filling permit from the State of Minnesota - Department of Natural Resources. When the permit was filed, it was filed for both sections of roadways. The section between T.H. #5 and C.R. #57 crosses wetland 2-114P and the section between C.R. #116 and C.R. #57 crosses wetland 2- 673W. As a condition of the original permit that was issued for these two sections of roadway, the DNR required that a 100 foot long bridge be constructed over the two separate wetlands. In anticipation of the passing of Senate File 83, which allows for the jurisdictional transfer of DNR protected wetlands to the Watershed Management Organizatmn (WMO), Hakanson Anderson Associates, the consultant engineer for this project, submitted a !etter to the DNR requesting that the permit be amended to allow for the construction of 2 - 10 x 6' box culverts with additional fill ~nstead of a 100 foot long bridge over wetland 2-673W. On August 30, 2000, the City received a letter denying the request to amend the original permit because, although the Senate File passed and became effective on August 1, 2000, the DNR does not have procedures in place to complete the actual transfer. They estimate that it may take 2-5 months until procedures are developed. The DNR letter stated that the two alternatives that are available to the City are: The City can complete the originally permitted project under the existing permit, which is valid until June 1, 2000. The City can completely abandon the original project and its associated DNR permit, then follow up with a new application and a letter explaining that a newproject is proposed. The new project could be allowed under Wetland Conservation Act (WCA). The new DNR permit rules state that DNR's permit jurisdiction is waived for new roads in public waters wetlands after the WMO has made its WCA determinations and replacement plan decisions. Hakanson Anderson Associates is currently in the process of preparing a wetland mitigation plan that we plan on presenting to the WMO on Thursday, September 21. I will have costs available for the Public Works Committee meeting next Tuesday. Committee Action: Based on discussion Reviewed by: City Administrator Director of Public Works PW: 9/19/00