Agenda - Council - 05/08/2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Metropolitan Council Working for the Region, Planning for the Future Patrick Trudgeon, Principle Planner City of Ramsey 15153 Nowthen Boulevard Ramsey, MN 55303 April 13, 2001 Re Ramsey Town Center Opportunity Site Dear . rudgeon: I understand that moving the Northstar commuter rail Station location. for purposes of opportunity site planning was proposed during discussions of the city's comprehensive plan. As you know, the city's opportunity site application indicated that the Metropolitan Council's consultants should assume a station location in the southeast corner of the opportunity site near Ramsey Boulevard and Highway 10. Before the consultants can proceed with planning the opportunity site, we need you to confirm the rail station location to be assumed for purposes of this study. Enclosed is a map showing a station location more central to the opportunity site. Unless you instruct us otherwise, Calthorpe Associates, the Council consultants for this site, will proceed assuming the proposed station location shown as the focal point for their work. Once the study is finished, the city can determine whether a comprehensive plan amendment is necessary in order to implement it. Although the consultant contract did not provide for a full -blown analysis of options for locating the commuter rail station, a cursory review of site parameters indicates this central location is preferable from the consultants perspective. It eliminates many transportation constraints inherent in the southeast location's proximity to the Ramsey Boulevard - Highway 10 intersection. Also, it opens more of the site to the catalytic effects of mixed -use development and allows more room for transitions to existing land uses around the site. The market analysis on which land use proposals are to be based will consider the entire opportunity site. Please respond as soon as possible in confirming the station location to be assumed. As soon as we have your direction as to the station location, consultant work can continue in earnest, and Sandra Pinel can begin working with you to arrange for a fall community design workshop. We look forward to working with you on this exciting project. Sincerely, Bob Mazanec Project Manager Cc: Jim Norman, City of Ramsey Natalie Haas Steffen, Metropolitan Council District 9 Sandra Pinel, Metropolitan Council Sector Representative Timothy Rood, Calthorpe Associates 2fffost Fifth Street St. Paul. Minnesota 55101-1634 (612) 291 -6359 Fax 291 -6550 TDD /TTY 291 -0904 Metro Info Line 229 -3780 ' LV An Equal Opportunity Employer