2024.09.03 Work Session Packet
4141 Douglas Drive North • Crystal, Minnesota 55422-1696
Tel: (763) 531-1000 • Fax: (763) 531-1188 • www.crystalmn.gov
Posted: Aug. 30, 2024
City Council Work Session Agenda
Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024
Immediately following the City Council meeting
Council Chambers/Zoom
Pursuant to due call and notice given in the manner prescribed by Section 3.01 of the City Charter,
the work session of the Crystal City Council was held on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, at ______ p.m. in
the Council Chambers at City Hall, 4141 Douglas Dr. N., Crystal, MN and via Zoom. The public may
attend the meeting via Zoom by connecting to it through one of the methods identified on the City
Council Meeting Schedule for Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024.
I. Attendance
Council members Staff
____ Budziszewski ____ Bell
____ Cummings ____ Tierney
____ Eidbo ____ Therres
____ Kamish ____ Elholm
____ Kiser ____ Larson
____ Onesirosan ____ Revering
____ Adams ____ Hubbard
____ Struve
____ Sutter
____ Serres
II. Agenda
The purpose of the work session is to discuss the following agenda items:
1. Review draft resolution regarding municipal consent for the Blue Line Extension.
2. Constituent issues.*
3. New business.*
4. Announcements.*
III. Adjournment
The work session adjourned at ______ p.m.
* Denotes no documentation included in the packet.
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.
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION 9/3/2024
CITY OF CRYSTAL
MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION NO. 2024-_____
RESOLUTION REGARDING MUNICIPAL CONSENT
FOR THE METRO BLUE LINE EXTENSION
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council, an agency of the State of Minnesota, is proposing to
build the METRO Blue Line Extension (the “Project”), a light rail transit facility, through the
City of Crystal (the “City”); and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 473.3994 (the “Statute”), the
Metropolitan Council submitted the preliminary design plans for the physical design component
of the Project (the “Plans”) to the City on July 26, 2024, and the City is required to review and
either approve or disapprove the Plans no later than October 10, 2024 (“Municipal Consent”);
and
WHEREAS, the City has provided opportunities for public review and comment on the Project
and Plans, culminating in the required public hearing held by the City Council on August 20,
2024; and
WHEREAS, prior to the contemplation of the Project, the City was required to expend $2.9
million for right-of-way acquisition costs related to the expansion of Bottineau Boulevard for
County Projects No. 0118 and No. 0119, which expanded Bottineau Boulevard to six lanes; and
WHEREAS, the proposed alignment will remove traffic lanes in the center of the expanded
Bottineau Boulevard, and therefore without the previous acquisitions, the Metropolitan Council
would need to acquire the right-of-way for the Project as currently designed; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has identified significant design issues and necessary changes
related to the Plans, including the loss of traffic lanes on the expanded Bottineau Boulevard; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that the appropriate Municipal Consent action
would be disapproval including the specific changes, which would result in approval per the
Statute; and
WHEREAS, notwithstanding any disapproval action per the statute, the City Council desires to
affirm its support for the METRO Blue Line Extension project in general.
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION 9/3/2024
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Crystal City Council elects to disapprove the
Plans in accordance with the Statute; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Crystal City Council finds that the following changes
would result in approval per the Statute:
1. Include the reconstruction of the old rural section of County State Aid Highway No. 8 (West
Broadway) from 47th Avenue North to Fairview Avenue North in the project plans to
accommodate increased traffic due to construction of the proposed alignment, both during
Project construction and after Project completion. See Exhibit A.
2. The middle lane of southbound Bottineau Blvd. at 47th Avenue must be a “choice” lane so
that the middle lane has the option to exit to southbound Highway 100. See Exhibit B.
3. Elevate the LRT tracks over the 42nd Avenue intersection to protect the Joint Water
Commission main which supplies Crystal, New Hope, and Golden Valley. See Exhibit C.
4. Along Lakeland Avenue between Wilshire Blvd. and the park and ride lot, provide
boulevards between east curb of Lakeland and the sidewalk, and also between the west curb
of Lakeland and the parking lot curb of 5445 Lakeland. See Exhibit D.
5. On Bass Lake Road west of Elmhurst, modify the Sherburne Avenue intersection to
accommodate the U-turns made necessary by the elimination of the southbound left turn
option at Elmhurst Avenue. See Exhibit E.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Crystal City Council is supportive of the METRO Blue
Line Extension project provided that these changes are made to the Project.
Adopted by the Crystal City Council this ___ day of ___________________, 2024.
____________________________
Jim Adams, Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
Chrissy Serres, City Clerk
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION 9/3/2024
EXHIBIT A
Old rural section of C.S.A.H No. 8 (West Broadway)
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION 9/3/2024
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION 9/3/2024
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION 9/3/2024
EXHIBIT B
Southbound middle “choice” lane at 47th Avenue
• Existing backups during the a.m. peak typically extend to 50th Avenue and occasionally
extend through the Corvallis intersection. And this is with three southbound lanes.
• The project proposes to eliminate the third southbound lane except for a short segment from
Lakeside to 47th Avenues which is approximately half the length of the existing a.m. peak
queue.
• It is a reasonable assumption that the project’s significant reduction of road space will cause
the southbound queues to extend further north and occur more frequently than in the existing
condition.
• Due to the proposed interchange at Bass Lake Road, southbound traffic will be transitioning
from a wide-open, freeway-style, 1⅓ mile-long segment south of 63rd Ave. to traffic signals
with congestion and queues south of Bass Lake Road.
• Southbound traffic would be cresting the bridge over the CPKC when it would first see the
slowed or stopped queue, with little time to react. Having a third lane start just 1,000 feet
north of 47th does not address this real-world traffic safety problem which would be
exacerbated by the current project design.
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION 9/3/2024
EXHIBIT C
Elevate LRT over 42nd Avenue to project JWC main
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION 9/3/2024
EXHIBIT D
Add Boulevards to Lakeland Avenue between Wilshire Blvd. and the Park and Ride lot
Based on a discussion with project staff on Aug. 27, city staff are hopeful that this can be
resolved through some sort of project snowplowing assurance letter and removed from the
Municipal Consent resolution prior to a vote.
DRAFT RESOLUTION FOR CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION 9/3/2024
EXHIBIT E
Modify Bass Lake Road - Sherburne Avenue intersection to accommodate U-turns
Based on a discussion with project staff on Aug. 27, city staff are hopeful that this can be
resolved with a design modification and removed from the resolution prior to a vote.
Next Steps
Sep. 3 work session - staff presents draft municipal consent resolution for City
Council discussion
Sep. 12 work session - backup date for additional Council discussion if
necessary
Sep. 17 meeting - City Council considers taking action on a municipal consent
resolution
Oct. 1 meeting - backup date for Council to take action on a municipal consent
resolution
Oct. 10 - statutory deadline for the city to take action on municipal consent
Hwy 100 -47 th Avenue
•Northbound third lane drops between Hwy 100 and 47th (inside lane drop)
•Southbound configuration roughly the same as existing
47 th Avenue -Corvallis Avenue
•Inside lanes removed to create space for LRT tracks in the median
•Southbound third lane added south of 49th Avenue due to Hwy 100 ramp queuing
(this would shift the west curb further west)
•Generally fits within existing road footprint except for southbound third lane
•Traction Power Sub-Station location to be located near Fairview Avenue
Corvallis Avenue -Wilshire Blvd.
•Inside lanes removed to create space for LRT tracks in the median
•8 foot shoulders to facilitate emergency response over the CPKC tracks
•Generally fits within existing road footprint
•Most of existing bridge and retaining walls preserved
Wilshire Blvd. -Bass Lake Road
•Bottineau Blvd. through traffic passes over Bass Lake Road on bridges
•Ped/bike path (future CP Regional Trail) passes under the bridges and ramps
•Station platform accessed from sidewalk (north end) and ped/bike path (south end)
•Park and ride lot and TPSS on west side of Bottineau, south of the telecom tower
•Two total acquisitions: Schrader office building and U-Haul
Bass Lake Road inset
•Elimination of left turn from Elmhurst to go east on Bass Lake Road -would have to turn right then U-turn at Sherburne
•Ped crossing and bus stop upgrade at Elmhurst (items from 2016 Station Area Plan and previous version of the project)
•Left turn lanes added at Adair (westbound) and Zane (eastbound)
•Shared ped/bike paths on each side of Bass Lake Road transition to bike lanes and sidewalks at Adair (north side) and Yates (south side)
Bass Lake Road -58th Avenue
•Airport Road access essentially same as existing
•North of the interchange, generally fits within existing road footprint
•One total acquisition: Cities Auto
•Note: The project is exploring relocating the ped/bike path (Crystal Lake Regional Trail) to
the west side of the “backage” road (Brunswick-Colorado) instead of along Bottineau.
58th Avenue -62nd Avenue
•Generally fits within existing road footprint
•Proposed Traction Power Sub-Station to be located near 60th Avenue, probably on the west
side of the BNSF corridor (similar to the previous version of the project)