HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-02-08 RESOLUTION NO. 1 1 —0 - 08
CITY OF OAK PARK HEIGHTS
WASHINGTON COUNTY, MINNESOTA
A RESOLUTION DETERMININGTHE SCOPE AND PURPOSE FOR THE CITY
PARTICIPATION IN THE COALITION FOR THE ST. CROIX CROSSING
WHEREAS, the city has been invited to participate in a discussion and involvement
identified as the Coalition for the St. Croix River Crossing, which has been identified as a 501(c)(6)
entity formed for the purpose of advocating for a new crossing or bridge across the St. Croix River;
and
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that there is merit and benefit to its
participation in such organizations; and
WHEREAS, the city has experienced opportunities for miscommunication and/or
misrepresentation of the city's role in participation in such organizations in the past, and finds it
desirable to establish its scope and authority for its participating on behalf of the residents; and
WHEREAS, the City Council for the City of Oak Park Heights has adopted the
• formal position statement relative to the St. Croix River Crossing, which is appended hereto, which
is reaffirmed by this Resolution; and
WHEREAS, it is essential to the position to the city of Oak Park Heights that
adequate state and/or federal funding be implemented as part of any effort to construct or approve of
a crossing and/or new bridge over the St. Croix River to provide that the city's existing
infrastructure and facilities within the pathways and right -of -way of the proposed crossing which
will be disrupted, damaged and otherwise need replacement and repair, be reimbursed by federal or
state funds as a result of this being an interstate and regional project which does not serve the
individual needs of the city of Oak Park Heights; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds it desirable that the public should know the
purpose and intent of the City's participation in this organization, and that there be clarity about the
City's goals and intent relative to a proposed crossing over the St. Croix River.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the City Council for the City of
Oak Park Heights as follows:
1. That Councilperson Mary McComber shall represent the City of Oak Park
Heights in its participation as a member of the Coalition of the St. Croix
River Crossing, a 501(c)(6).
41)
• 2. That the City of Oak- Park Heights participates within this Coalition,
acknowledging that the same is not a joint - powers entity or multi
jurisdictional entity, and has no authority to bind the City of Oak Park
Heights contractually, or otherwise.
3. That until amended by the City Council the City of Oak Park Heights
position statement relative to the St. Croix River Crossing shall define the
scope and authority of the city's participation and guide its representatives
on the Coalition, and is appended hereto as Exhibit A.
4. That the City of Oak Park Heights' support of any potential new bridge
crossing the St. Croix River is dependent upon securing full financial
commitments from State and /or Federal agencies for infrastructure costs as
outlined within the City's position statement.
5. That the City of Oak Park Heights' support for any lobbying efforts seeking
potential new bridge crossing is dependent upon any proposed legislation
including full funding for the City of Oak Park Heights for the construction,
loss, destruction, repair, or replacement of the required infrastructure within
the pathway of any proposed alignment of a new crossing over the St. Croix
River, Highway 36 and related traffic facilities necessary to a new river
crossing and those facilities as outlined in the City's position statement.
• 6. That any requested financial contribution for the Coalition and its purposes
will be dealt with from the City Council from time -to -time on a specific
request basis. That the Coalition shall not have authority to incur debt on
behalf of the City of Oak Park Heights or take positions on behalf of the City
of Oak Park Heights which differ from the City's position statement and the
need for a State and Federal commitment fully funding the construction or
replacement of needed city infrastructure as a result of any such project.
sse by the City Council for the City of Oak Park Heights this 2 day of
February, 201, .
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City of Oak Park Heights
14168 Oak Park Blvd. N • Box 2007. Oak Park Heights, MN 55082 • Phone (651) 439 -4439 • Fax (651) 439 -0574
October 15 2010
TO: Oak Park Heights Business Community
FROM: The City Council of the City Oak Park Heights
RE: Communication to City Businesses - STH 36 / St. Croix River
Crossing Project — Current Position of City of Oak Park
Heights.
• In recent weeks, there have been announcements from the Minnesota Department of
Transportation (MNDOT) that they intend to proceed with construction of the St. Croix
River Bridge Project possibly as early as 2013. Notwithstanding the current State
projected shortfalls in funding and the Sierra Club litigation in Federal Court on the
matter, it is an appropriate time for the City of Oak Park Heights' to communicate with its
business community, as well as others, regarding the City's position on the proposed St.
Croix River Crossing and STH 36 updates.
Fundamentally, the City is in agreement with many public and private agencies that the
current bridge facility should be replaced. This need stems from several elements, but is
mainly from traffic volumes, poorly maintained frontage roads and intersections on
highways and approaches, inadequacies of the Stillwater Lift Bridge and related issues.
Construction Impacts and Costs:
Despite these facts, the City of Oak Park Heights is being asked and expected to
withstand and bear the primary and consequential burdens associated with these
proposed improvements including the placement of the actual bridge within the City,
•
10 -15 -10 - SCRCP - OPH City Council Position Letter 1 of 4
•
removal and relocation of significant City water, sanitary and storm -water infrastructure
as well as being expected to shoulder the maintenance of significant trail and right —of-
way improvements upon completion of the Project. These burdens are in addition to the
lost tax -base already incurred by the City stemming from the removal of over 65 homes
and several businesses as well as an anticipated 5 years of construction disruption and
lost tax base anticipated from the multi -year construction timeline.
Naturally, the City of Oak Park Heights, its business community and residents have a
vested interest to ensure that this Project is as minimally invasive as possible and does
not place unreasonable and unfair burdens on City businesses, residents and other local
taxpayers to support this Interstate, Regional improvement project. Unfortunately,
MNDOT will not commit to funding mechanisms to offset local losses for these
improvements which would avoid and alleviate significant financial consequences to the
City and its taxpayers.
As an example of this, MNDOT's 2006 engineering estimates place the needed local
Oak Park Heights utility relocations at $1.87 million dollars, (not including land
• acquisition), for which MNDOT has yet to provide a full financial commitment to the City
that covers such costs.
In addition to these utility costs, MNDOT also expects the City to pay for, maintain and
manage over 5,000 linear feet of public trail -ways, maintain several roadway plantings
and green spaces as well as pay for and maintain several traffic control lights. Again,
none of these costs can or should be borne by a City of less than five- thousand persons
for a Regional, Interstate project.
The most recently proposed layout could result in the creation of a number of non-
conforming lots along the City's commercial corridor east of Oakgreen Ave. Under this
proposal, the Project limits could create numerous building setback non - conformities
and /or could eliminate needed access and parking effectively causing impairment to the
affected businesses, thus adding another fiscal burden to the City due to lost tax base
and jobs.
•
10 -15 -10 - SCRCP - OPH City Council Position Letter 2 of 4
4110 Other impacts yet to be addressed are related to the provision of adequate measures
from MNDOT to protect property owners from construction damages. Specifically, this
project which will be ongoing for years will require a massive movement of earth as well
as the placement of significant pilings and construction vibration as well as traffic
disruption to local area businesses and homes. MNDOT has even yet to provide a
proposal on how the City will provide adequate fire protection services to its residents
during such construction, as the Bayport Fire Department will no longer be able to
access portions of the City without significant delay.
Municipal Consent:
MNDOT has publicly stated that the City of Oak Park Heights has provided Municipal
Consent for the Project in 1995 and no further dealings are needed with the City. This is
an unfortunate position as MNDOT must construct the Project that was specifically tied
to that 1995 Municipal Consent. That 1995 plan did not include a bridge at Beach Road,
did include a north frontage road east of Osgood Ave and was a project in which
MNDOT committed to paying the City's utility relocation costs. In addition, much has
changed in the corridor since 1995 that causes difficulties with this plan, including
11110 placing the frontage roadways less than 25 feet from residences that were not in
existence in 1995. Moreover, MNDOT has not yet provided construction plans and
specifications.
The City has made repeated efforts to engage MNDOT over the years on these
issues. Unfortunately, meetings have been Tess than productive; hampered by a
parade of ever changing project managers, litigation over violations of written
commitments on Municipal Consent resulting in Court enforcement proceedings;
all of which has only served to dissipate the public trust in government as well as
tax dollars.
We would ask that our adjoining communities and common organizations take a step
away from the bridge debate and focus on how State government should be dealing with
local government on issues of this magnitude. Also take a moment to consider the
significant impacts to the businesses and residents in Oak Park Heights and understand
positions the City has been required to assume to prevent such burdens. The City of
Oak Park Heights does not expect that the construction of this Project will be without
•
10 -15 -10 - SCRCP - OPH City Council Position Letter 3 of 4
• some local cost contributions, but these contributions must be reasonable and
proportioned for a community of less than five - thousand persons as against those who
will actually and substantially benefit from the Project.
MNDOT has been dealing with projects of this magnitude long enough to know that
utilities need to be moved and replaced as a part of the Project and that they need to be
responsible for mitigating community impacts. In fairness, we do note that MNDOT has
found creative methods to fund other aspects of the Project including, private
improvements for Xcel Energy removing 'mooring cells', resurrecting presumptively
"historic structures" and building out recreational elements to the Project. Unfortunately
MNDOT has been unwilling to be as helpful or creative in dealing with Oak Park Heights'
basic public infrastructure Toss and disruption. The Minnesota Department of
Transportation must ensure that the City of Oak Park Heights does not bear an
unreasonable and untenable burden for this Project.
As we are apparently now entering into another stage of MNDOT plan submissions,
please know that Oak Park Heights is hopeful for a successful community conclusion to
• this Project and will continue to make reasoned efforts towards that goal. We again ask
that you understand these fundamental issues the City is facing with MNDOT. If you or
your organization is able to assist the City in any way in alleviating these unreasonable
expectations it would be appreciated. The City will conversely continue to work towards
solutions so the Project will also be a success for the Oak Park Heights Business
Community and City Taxpayers.
Finally, as many are aware, MNDOT and the Sierra Club are engaged in a lawsuit in the
Federal Court to again compel judicial review of the Bridge Project. Please know that the
City of Oak Park Heights is not involved with this lawsuit.
The City does thank you for your support and understanding.
This Communication Approved and Adopted By City Council, Oct 12 2010
Please contact City Administrator Eric Johnson if you have any questions - 651 - 439 -4439.
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