WS 2000 07 12CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
MONDAY, JULY 10, 2000
A work session of the City Council was held on Monday, July 10, 2000 beginning at 4:00 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Council members Jansen and Senn; and Councilman Labatt arrived
late.
MEMBERS ABSENT: Mayor Mancino, Councilman Engel.
STAFF PRESENT: Scott Botcher, City Manager; Teresa Burgess, City Engineer/Public Works
Director; Todd Hoffman, Park & Recreation Director; and Sharmin A1-Jaff, Planner II.
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION, MIKE FAHEY, CARVER COUNTY
ATTORNEY: Mike Fahey, County Attorney presented an alternative dispute resolution
opportunity to the City Council. This program is presented as a quick, voluntary, convenient,
affordable, confidential, and self-determined program by which potentially adverse parties can
seek resolution to the sometimes perplexing issues that come before all of us. City Manager
Botcher indicated he would make space available to the County Attorney's Office on an as
needed basis should a Chanhassen-related mediation occur. Participants in the discussion also
indicated that there might be some "neighborhood-type" issues that the city could recommend
this program to as a way to seek resolution.
HIGHWAY 101 TRAIL, REVIEW CONCEPT DRAWINGS: HTPO presented the trail
alignment and cost estimate for the trail abutting Highway 101 from Pleasant View to West 78th
Street. The alignment was designed to have minimal impact to the topography and vegetation.
Safety and neighborhood concerns also impacted the location of the trail.
The area of the trail near Sandy Hook Road was narrowed to 3 ft. in width. This was done to
minimize impacts to the abutting property owner. This area would not meet standards and was
discussed at length. This area will need to be revisited during design and plans preparation.
Councilwoman Jansen requested an analysis of what percent of the trail would be impacted if
Option 1A for Highway 101 was implemented. Staff is working on that request.
Copies of the plans were handed out to Council Members. Council Members were requested to
review the plans and forward any comments by July 24th. Staff is working to prepare the
Limited Use Permit. A resolution supporting the Limited Use Permit will be on the July 24th
Agenda.
The cost estimate for the construction is $565,108.50. Please note, the cost estimate does not
include costs for right-of-way acquisition, engineering, legal costs, administration, wetland
mitigation, or permit fees. Engineering, legal costs, and administration are typically estimated at
30% of the construction cost. In addition, HTPO has estimated, based on public input, that
$100,000 in additional landscaping will be requested by property owners.
A gravel surface instead of bituminous will reduce the cost of the trail by approximately
$35,000; however, it will increase the annual maintenance costs and result in a less desirable
trail. Using boardwalks instead of wetland fill will increase the cost of the trail by $40,000-
$65,000.
Large maps showing the full alignment are available in the City Engineering Office. Those maps
include information and notes from the open houses as well as the alternative alignments that
were considered and eliminated.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTING ORDINANCE: City Attorney Knutson presented draft copies of
two ordinances in an attempt to respond to citizen and council concerns about holiday lighting
and the public safety impacts some of these lighting exhibits place upon the community. Mr.
Knutson indicated that his office was able to find only one ordinance that addressed this issue
and that was the City of Minneapolis. Additionally, he indicated that the City of Minneapolis
stated that they had never enforced said ordinance.
That being said, Council members discussed installing lighting standards for residential
properties. Some members thought that, as our current ordinances are silent on this issue, it may
be in the city's best interests to at least have this ordinance in place as it relates to light so that
the city can be in a position to respond if necessary. The lighting ordinance will be placed on the
agenda for July 24.
Scott A. Botcher
City Manager