2014.05.20 Work Session Packet (2nd)4141 Douglas Drive North • Crystal, Minnesota 55422-1696
Tel: (763) 531-1000 • Fax: (763) 531-1188 • www.crystalmn.gov
AL
Posted: May 16, 2014
CRYSTAL CITY COUNCIL
SECOND WORK SESSION AGENDA
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
To immediately follow the Regular City Council Meeting
Conference Room A
Pursuant to due call and notice given in the manner prescribed by Section 3.01 of the City
Charter, the second work session of the Crystal City Council was held at p.m. on
Tuesday, May 20, 2014 in Conference Room A located at 4141 Douglas Drive, Crystal,
Minnesota.
I. Attendance
Council members
Peak
Selton
Adams
Budziszewski
Deshler
Hoffmann
Libby
Staff
Norris
Therres
Revering
Meehan
Peters
Mathisen
Gilchrist
Serres
II. Agenda
The purpose of the work session is to:
• Consider formal comments on Bottineau Transitway Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS)
• Discuss changes to City Code regarding securing ignitions
• Receive commission liaisons reports/updates*
III. Adjournment
The work session adjourned at p.m.
Auxiliary aids are available upon request to individuals with disabilities by calling the City Clerk at (763)
531-1145 at least 96 hours in advance. TTY users may call Minnesota Relay at 711 or 1-800-627-3529.
CITY'.of
CRYSTAL
DATE: May 12, 2014
Memorandum
TO: Mayor and City Council (for May 20, 2014 Council Work Session)
cc: Anne Norris, City Manager
Tom Mathisen, City Engineer
John Sutter, City Planner/Assistant Community Development Director
FROM: Patrick A. Peters, Community Development Director/9A6
SUBJECT: Bottineau Light Rail — Comments on Draft Environmental Impact Statement
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the development of the Bottineau
Transitway has been published and is out for review and Public Hearings. The comment period
ends May 29, 2014, following which the Bottineau initiative moves into Project Development
(includes preliminary and final engineering) and preparation of a Final Environmental Impact
Study (FEIS) with an eye on securing federal funding and, ultimately, construction of the
Bottineau LRT (aka, Blue Line Extension). The DEIS is available for viewing on-line at
http://www.bottineautransitwa�org// and at Crystal City Hall, among other locations.
In accordance with the parameters of the DEIS process, it is appropriate that the City of Crystal
offer comments specific to the potential impacts that the construction and operation of the
Bottineau LRT may have on the city and its residents. Following discussion at the May 20
Council Work Session, staff will prepare a comment letter, to be signed by the City Manager,
that itemizes the primary issues associated with the Bottineau line's planned route through
Crystal and for which satisfactory mitigation measures will need to be identified in the FEIS and
planned for implementation during the Project Development phase. The impacts identified in the
DEIS that are of particular interest to Crystal are noise, vibration and traffic.
Noise
With regard to the projected noise impacts along the C Alignment (that portion of the Locally
Preferred Alternative in Crystal), the report indicates that there are a significant number of
adjacent noise sensitive land uses that are predicted to experience noise impacts from LRT
construction and operation, if unmitigated. The attached Figures 21 and 22: Alignment C Noise
Impact Locations, illustrate the properties in Crystal that are assumed to suffer noise impacts,
either "moderate" or "severe." A total of approximately 246 dwelling units (single-family, 2 -
family and apartment units) are assumed to have "severe" impacts from noise. While there are
some anticipated impacts associated with construction noise, the DEIS does acknowledge the
city's noise ordinance restrictions in that regard, and the construction activity is temporary.
The predicted operational noise impacts that are of profound concern are those most directly
associated with the sounding of a train horn in advance of at -grade crossings at Corvallis and
West Broadway, where the train is operating in excess of 45 miles per hour. Noise from the
sounding of a train horn is particularly concerning at or near those two crossings because it poses
an increase to the baseline noise within what are predominantly residential neighborhoods.
Page 1 of 3
In addition, the impacts associated with the horn are intensified by the number of train trips
through these crossings as shown by the service schedule in the report, which is assumed to be:
• Early morning (4:00-6:00 a.m.): every 20-30 minutes
• Peak periods (6:00-9:00 a.m. and 3:00 — 6:30 p.m.): every 7.5 minutes
• Midday (9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.) and Evening (6:30-10:00 p.m.): every 10 minutes
• Late evening (10:00 p.m.— 2:00 a.m.): every 30 minutes
In keeping with DEIS preparation protocol, the report identifies a range of noise mitigation
measures that may have varying levels of effectiveness in reducing the severity of the predicted
impacts. Table 5.6-8 Proposed Noise Mitigation Measures for Operational Impacts (attached)
identifies various potential noise mitigation methods that may be considered, including the
establishment of quiet zones, which the City holds will be the most effective within the Crystal
segment of Alignment C. The report states that the request for quiet zones for at -grade crossings
must be initiated by the respective municipality. However, it also states that "...the
municipalities may also be required to provide improvements at grade crossings such as
modifications to the streets, raised medians, warning lights, and other devices." It appears
reasonable from the City's perspective that, while the city will certainly work with responsible
agencies to initiate the quiet zone requests, any and all costs associated with quiet zone
improvements must be borne by the project and not by the City.
With regard to the proposed crossing at West Broadway, the Crystal Comprehensive Plan
(relevant excerpt attached) contemplates Hennepin County -initiated discussions about removing
that part of West Broadway (CSAH 8) south of Douglas from the county road system and
subsequently whether the West Broadway s -curve crossing of the BNSF tracks at 48th Avenue
North either ought to be reconstructed as is, reconfigured, replaced by a crossing in a different
location or eliminated. The Bottineau project should incorporate this roadway evaluation into the
FEIS and Project Development phase to determine the feasibility of eliminating the rail crossing
at West Broadway, thereby eliminating one of the two potential crossings in Crystal needing
quiet zone treatment.
Finally, also regarding Figure 22: Alignment C Noise Impact Locations, there are two
commercial/industrial properties misidentified as residential (the vacant industrial property at
5216 Hanson Ct and the vacant commercial property at 4940 West Broadway), and one
commercial property (4947 West Broadway) that as of May 8, 2014, is no longer a church and
will be developed for the City's a new Public Works facility. These three properties should no
longer be included in the list of properties with potential for severe impacts from noise.
Vibration
Ground -borne vibration (GBV) is the oscillatory motion of the ground that, for transit projects,
can be best described in terms of vibration velocity. Typical GBV levels from common sources
range from imperceptible background vibrations of approximately 50 VdB (vibration decibels) to
100 VdB, the threshold for structural damage. Annoyance is reportedly not significant unless the
vibration exceeds 70 VdB. Typical rapid transit GBV is around 70-72 VdB.
Four residential properties (classified as "Category 2" uses) in Crystal have been identified as
having potential for impacts from vibration (Figure 39 in the Technical Report, attached) in the
range of 72-90 VdB, depending on proximity to the track centerline. There are various mitigation
measures identified in the study that can be implemented in the Crystal segment, but the report
specifically discusses "...modification or relocation of crossovers between Corvallis Avenue
North and West Broadway Ave .... as well as installation of track vibration isolation treatment."
Page 2 of 3
The Bottineau project should incorporate successful mitigation measures for vibration evaluation
in the FEIS and during Project Development.
Traffic
The only transit station proposed in Crystal will be located within the BNSF railroad right-of-
way just south of Bass Lake Road. The current proposal for this station does not contemplate any
park and ride or kiss and ride facilities. If this is to be the case, it is reasonable to expect that,
without appropriate design considerations that anticipate such activity, some vehicles will drop
off and pick up transit riders by stopping on Bass Lake Road and Bottineau Boulevard, thus
obstructing traffic flow.
The DEIS points out that station area plans, which would include the park and ride facilities (and
presumably kiss and ride facilities, as well) have not been developed but would include a full
traffic analysis of such facilities. The DEIS states that roadway improvements such as turn lanes
or additional intersection controls may be needed to accommodate the additional traffic
generated. Similarly, the station area planning effort for the Bass Lake Road station, the FEIS
and Project Development all need to include a detailed analysis that satisfactorily addresses the
potential adverse impacts associated with the lack of an off-street drop off or parking area that
can support the station without compromising traffic operations.
With regard to pedestrian crossings, the DEIS proposes that new or improved sidewalk crossings
of the railroad corridor are to be included in the final design of the Bass Lake Road, Corvallis
Avenue (replacing existing sidewalk on south side of roadway) and West Broadway Avenue
crossings in Crystal. The City looks forward to participating in the process to ensure that Crystal
residents will have safe pedestrian facilities that connect neighborhoods across the rail corridor.
Page 3 of 3
BottineauTransitway
DRAFTEWROW MAL IMPACT STATEMENT
FIGURE 21: ALIGNMENT C NOISE IMPACT LOCATIONS
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DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
FIGURE 22: ALIGNMENT C NOISE IMPACT LOCATIONS
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Bottineau tt ansitway
DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
Table 5.6-8. Potential Noise Mitigation Measures for Operational Impacts I
Source
Path
An effective option for mitigating noise impacts along the alignment would
be to establish "quiet zones" near at -grade crossings. Quiet zones would
need to be established in accordance with FRA regulations. In quiet zones,
because of safety improvements at the at -grade crossings, train operators
would sound horns only in emergency situations rather than as a standard
operating procedure. Establishing quiet zones would require cooperative
action among the municipalities along the corridor, Minnesota DOT, FRA,
Establishment BNSF, and the transit agency. The municipalities are key participants in the
of Quiet Zones process, as they must initiate the request to establish quiet zones through
application to the FRA. To meet safety criteria, the municipalities may also
be required to provide improvements at grade crossings such as
modifications to the streets, raised medians, warning lights, and other
devices. The FRA regulation also authorizes the use of automated wayside
horns at crossings along with flashing lights and gates as a substitute for
the train horn. While activated by the approach of trains, these devices are
pole -mounted at the grade crossing, thereby limiting the horn noise
exposure area to the immediate vicinity of the crossing.
Modified Use
An approach for mitigating noise impacts due to LRV and wayside audible
of Audible
warning devices (e.g., horns and bells) would be to modify the design,
Warning
Devices
settings, or use of these devices.
Turnouts are a major source of noise impact when they are located in
sensitive areas. If turnouts cannot be relocated away from sensitive areas,
Special
other methods can be used to reduce noise impacts such as the use of
Trackwork
spring -rail, flange -bearing, or moveable -point frogs in place of standard
rigid frogs at turnouts. These devices allow the flangeway gap to remain
closed in the main traffic direction for revenue service trains.
There are several options to mitigate potential wheel squeal from small -
radius curves, including on -board solid -stick rail lubrication and wayside rail
Wheel/Rail
lubrication. Automated wayside top -of -rail friction modifier systems put a
Lubrication
small amount of lubricant onto the top of the rail, which maintains a
constant coefficient of friction. This type of lubricant has been shown to
reduce or eliminate the potential for wheel squeal.
This is a common approach to reducing noise impacts from surface
transportation sources. The primary requirements for an effective noise
barrier are that the barrier must be high enough and long enough to break
the line -of -sight between the sound source and the receiver, be of an
impervious material with a minimum surface density of four Ib/sq. ft., and
Noise Barriers
not have any gaps or holes between the panels or at the bottom. Because
numerous materials meet these requirements, the selection of materials
for noise barriers is usually dictated by aesthetics, durability, cost, and
maintenance considerations. Noise barriers for transit projects typically
range in height from eight feet to twelve feet.
March 2014 5-59
ROADWAY JURISIDCTION POLICIES
Hennepin County continues to express their intent to eliminate CSAH 8 from their road system
and turn ifover to the city. The city would accept responsibility for this roadway only after it is
reconstructed to urban standards with municipal consent or the county provides the city with the
funds to accomplish same. The city agrees that the segment south of CSAH 102 (Douglas Dr) is
a good candidate for turnback. However, the city is unsure whether the segment north of CSAH
10 (56th/Bass Lake Rd) is a good candidate for turnback and would not consider such a change
without further study and consultation with the cities of New Hope and Brooklyn Park.
2. To make the MSA street system better fit with traffic patterns, hierarchy of streets and land uses,
some MSA designation changes are desirable. However, MSA designations influence the
amount of motor fuel tax revenue the city receives from the state. Some of the existing
designations were made to maximize revenue for early stages of the street reconstruction
program, resulting in a disproportionate share of MSA mileage in the southern third of the city.
However, any attempts to un -designate streets that have already been reconstructed might trigger
MnDOT requirements for return of MSA funds. Therefore any such changes would require
analysis of their financial impacts for the city; if such impacts are significant, the financial
impacts would likely trump planning considerations and the changes would not be made. This
means that most changes to MSA designations are likely to occur in those neighborhoods where
the streets have not yet been reconstructed. The implementation section reflects this reality, and
the map differentiates between those changes that are practically unlikely (labeled "Idealized")
and those that could realistically be accomplished (labeled "Implement").
ROADWAY JURISIDCTION IMPLEMENTATION ITEMS
Negotiate with Hennepin County regarding the removal of CSAH 8 (West Broadway) from the
county road system (likely after 2010). For the segment south of CSAH 102 (Douglas Dr), this
includes addressing the question of whether the West Broadway s -curve crossing of the BNSF
railroad at 48th Avenue ought to be reconstructed as -is, reconfigured, replaced by a crossing in a
different location, or eliminated. For the segment north of CSAH 10 (56th/Bass Lake Rd), this
would include consideration of the broader question of whether such a turnback is warranted in
the first place
2. Implement the following MSA route designation changes:
■ Designate as MSA Sumter Avenue from 56th Avenue to 58th Avenue. This is the best north -
south route for designation in the Broadway neighborhood due to the presence of medium
and high density residential uses on the west side of the street in New Hope.
Designate as MSA 58th Avenue from Sumter Avenue to West Broadway. This is the best
east -west route for designation in the neighborhood because it is the longer of the two routes
connecting to West Broadway (591h is the other). Also, it serves the Crystal Towers
apartments which are within New Hope but are located approximately halfway between 56tH
Avenue and West Broadway along the proposed Sumter -58th MSA route.
CRYSTAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN —AFTER AMENDMENT 2012-A PAGE 54
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Corvallis where it transitions into a lower speed, lower volume roadway in a predominantly
residential area (see item 5 below).
Hennepin County has expressed a desire to remove CSAH 8 (West Broadway) from its road
system and turn it over to the city. Typically this would include reconstruction of the older
sections north of 57th Avenue and south of Fairview Avenue from rural to urban standards. As
part of the negotiations between the county and the city, there would be a planning and design
process including a study of the s -curve crossing of the BNSF railroad at 481h Avenue. The study
should consider at least the following four alternatives for dealing with the railroad crossing:
■ Reconstruct the railroad crossing essentially as -is, possibly with some property acquisition to
meet current design standards.
■ Reconfigure the railroad crossing into a more right-angled 48th Avenue crossing.
■ Close the crossing and replace it with a new crossing, for example by completing the gap in
47th Avenue between West Broadway and Vera Cruz Avenue, and possibly also closing
another existing crossing at 451/2 Avenue in Robbinsdale. On the east side of the railroad,
West Broadway would transition north into Vera Cruz Avenue, and on the west side of the
railroad, West Broadway would transition south into Welcome Avenue.
■ Close the crossing without replacing it with a new crossing. Again, on the east side of the
railroad, West Broadway would transition into Vera Cruz Avenue, and on the west side of
the railroad, West Broadway would transition into Welcome Avenue.
Any of these alternatives should also consider whether to maintain West Broadway as a Major
Collector south of Corvallis Avenue. It might make sense to designate Corvallis Avenue from
CSAH 81 (Bottineau Boulevard) to West Broadway as a Major Collector and designate West
Broadway south of Corvallis as a Minor Collector. (See item 4 above.)
6. Study 36th Avenue from Welcome Avenue west to CSAH 102 (Douglas Drive) to determine the
appropriateness of the existing four -lane configuration for current and future traffic volumes.
The study should examine options to improve safety and handle traffic volumes, including but
not limited to the following alternatives:
■ Leaving the roadway as -is.
■ Leaving the roadway as -is but restricting left turns during peak hours.
■ Re -striping the roadway so it has two westbound lanes, a center left turn lane, and one
eastbound lane.
■ Widening the roadway approximately 12 feet to add a center left turn lane.
■ Widening the roadway approximately 18 feet to add a median with left turn lanes.
■ Some hybrid of one or more of the above alternatives.
In addition to the cost of such a project, the impact of widening on the adjacent properties and
neighborhoods must be considered along with the traffic and safety benefits of such a project.
Alternatives involving widening would not be eligible for federal financial participation through
the regional solicitation process unless the classification is changed from Major Collector to
Minor Arterial.
7. Work with Hennepin County and the City of Robbinsdale to study CSAH 9 (42nd Avenue a.k.a.
Rockford Road) through Crystal to determine the appropriateness of the existing four -lane
configuration for current and future traffic volumes. The study should examine options to
improve safety and handle traffic volumes, including but not limited to the following
alternatives:
■ Leaving the roadway as -is.
■ Leaving the roadway as -is but restricting left turns during peak hours.
CRYSTAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN —AFTER AMENDMENT 2012-A PAGE 64
December 2012
76
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DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
FIGURE 39: ALIGNMENT C VIBRATION IMPACT LOCATIONS
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"Service with Compassion and Integrity"
TO: Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Stephanie K. Revering, Chief of Police Lj�,`
CC: Anne Norris, City Manager
DATE: May 15, 2014
SUBJECT: Work Session: SECURING IGNITIONS
MEMORANDUM
In an attempt to follow state law and guidelines we have drafted an addition to our
parking ordinance regarding securing vehicle ignitions.
City Attorney Mike Norton has reviewed the draft ordinance.
Attached is a copy for your review. Deputy Chief Meehan will be presenting at the
work session in case you have any follow up questions. Thank you.
CITY OF CRYSTAL
ORDINANCE #2014 -
AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO CHAPTER XIII TRAFFIC, MOTOR VEHICLES
AND OTHER VEHICLES - AMENDING SECTION 1310 -PARKING REGULATIONS
REGARDING SECURING IGNITIONS
The City of Crystal Does Ordain:
Section 1. Section 1310.05. Other parking restrictions of the Crystal city code is amended by
adding a new Subdivision 9 as follows:
Subd 9. Securing Ignitions:
a) No person may leave a motor vehicle, except commercial motor vehicles engaged in loading
or unloading, unattended upon any street, alley, used car lot, or unattended parking lot,
without first stopping the vehicle, and rendering _ it t inoperable and removing _ the he key from the
ignition or the fob from the activation area.
b) Whenever a police officer, or community service officer or reserve officer working under
the direction of a police officer, finds a motor vehicle standing unattended with the ignition
tion
key in the vehicle in violation of this section, such officer is authorized and empowered to
remove such key from the vehicle and to deliver the key to the Crystal Police Department
for safekeeping. Alternatively, the officer may secure the keys by placing them in the
vehicle so thev are not visible from the outside and lock the vehicle.
c) A violation of this subdivision will not mitigate the offense of stealing such motor vehicle,
nor may such violation be used to affect a recovery in any civil action for theft of such
motor vehicle, or the insurance thereon, or have any bearing _ in n any civil action.
Section. 2. This ordinance is effective in accordance with Crystal City code, subsection 110.11.
First Reading:
Second Reading:
Publication:
Effective Date:
Jim Adams, Mayor
ATTEST:
Christina Serres, City Clerk
443526v1 CR205-30