Agenda - Council - 02/24/1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Engineer Jankowski stated he would like to be moving on the project by fail. Mr. Brown explained the environmental process that must be completed prior to any federal funds being given. He stated there is not enough time to get all this done to start the project in 1998. Councilmember Haas Steffen asked if this could be done as a local initiative project without it costing the City any extra money. Mr. Dvorak replied that it could be done that way if the City is interested in only doing the smaller project. Instead of receiving 2.3 million dollars in federal funding, the City would be down to 1.7 million dollars. Councilmember Haas Steffen asked what the added costs would be to the City. Mr. Jankowski replied that according to the formulas, it would cost the City about $300,000 more. Councilmember Haas Steffen expressed concern about an access the City will have to take away. She stated that Bill Warden of MnDOT has said that the City has nothing indicating that we would take the access away from the Amoco Gas Station, but he said there is something in the agreement they signed that indicates they have to give up that access. She felt we should not have to pay to take that one away. Mr. Brown stated that no acquisition offers can be made until the study and environmental reports can be made. Councilmember Haas Steffen suggested that MnDOT should put in writing, the reasons the T.H. q,47 project cannot be started until 1999. Greg Felt of MnDOT explained a protective buy. Councilmember Haas Steffen stated that Bill Warden had told her that if one of the property owners came to him requesting an access, he would say yes to the request. Mr. Brown stated that he is in a "different world" than Bill Warden is in. If a property owner comes in with a plan, then the protective buy can be initiated. Mr. Felt added that an access can be denied if a case can be made for an alternative access. Councilmember Haas Steffen reiterated that the owners 0fthe property at the intersection of T.H. ~47 and C.R. #5 have been mistreated. However, unless someone has a "pocket of gold", she did not feel the City could afford to lose any of the $432,000, nor could the City take on an extra $200,000 to $300,000. She suggested the State should be giving the City more money to pay for the rights of access. Councitmember Haas Steffen talked about an area where the City could have a park and ride. Lord of Life Lutheran Church is interested in this and she feels it fits in the traffic plans for the Metro Area. T.H. #47 Discussion/January 30, 1998 Page 2 of 3 I I I I I I I I I I I I ! I I I I I I