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2026.09.15 Work Session Packet 4141 Douglas Drive North • Crystal, Minnesota 55422-1696 Tel: (763) 531-1000 • Fax: (763) 531-1188 • www.crystalmn.gov Posted: Sept. 11, 2026 City Council Work Session Agenda Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026 Immediately following the City Council meeting Upper Community Room/Zoom Pursuant to due call and notice given in the manner prescribed by Section 3.01 of the City Charter, the Crystal City Council work session was held on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, at _____ p.m. electronically via Zoom and in the upper community room at city hall, 4141 Douglas Dr. N., Crystal, Minnesota. I. Attendance Council members Staff ____ Eidbo ____ Bell ____ Sutter ____ Kamish ____ Tierney ____ Serres ____ Kiser ____ Therres ____ Onesirosan ____ Elholm ____ Budziszewski ____ Hubbard ____ Cummings ____ Kunde ____ Deshler ____ Struve II. Agenda The purpose of the work session is to discuss the following agenda items: 1) Recreation Department quarterly update.* 2) Blue Line Extension design update. 3) Council liaison reports.* 4) Constituent issues update.* 5) City manager update.* 6) New business.* 7) Council comments and announcements.* III. Adjournment The work session adjourned at ______ p.m. * Denotes no supporting information 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. Memorandum DATE: September 8, 2026 TO: Crystal City Council FROM: Christopher Jao, Transit Project Coordinator SUBJECT: Bass Lake Road Bridge: City Name Font Style ______________________________________________________________________________ BACKGROUND On May 28th, 2026, City staff met with Project staff on the design of the Bass Lake Road bridge. During this meeting, City staff inquired about adding the City name, “City of Crystal”, to the bridge structure. Project staff was receptive to the request, initially sharing an example from an Illinois highway using individually mounted metal letters. At the most recent Design Resolution Team (DRT) meeting, Project staff presented an updated exhibit showing the City name inlaid directly into the concrete wall at a 1 inch depth. To comply with MnDOT standards, the lettering is positioned directly over the sidewalk areas for both eastbound and westbound traffic. FONT OPTIONS Project staff originally presented a standard, highly legible font. City staff requested a secondard exhibit using “Benguiat, the font used in the City’s recently updated branding guidelines. Project staff cautioned against selecting an overly stylized font to ensure the concrete inlaw remains timeless, as municipal branding may evolve over the life of the structure. OPTIONS FOR REVIEW - Option A – Benguiat Font o Matches the City’s current official font branding - Option B – Standard Font o A clean, highly legible design recommended by Project staff RECOMMENDED ACTION Staff requests that City Council review the attached exhibits and select a preferred font option so the design team can finalize the bridge wall specifications for the 100% plan submittal. BLUE LINE LRT EXTENSION August 31, 2026 Bass Lake Rd Bridge Visual Quality East Elevation View with City Signage - Option 2 0’5’10’ EB BASS LK RD WB BASS LK RD NB BOTTINEAU BLVD SIGNAGE DETAIL ON EXTERIOR OF CONCRETE BARRIER STATION AREA WALK WALK COPING (+2”) FACE OF BARRIER (0”) RAISED SIGNAGE BACKGROUND (+1”) RECESSED TEXT WITH BLACK STAIN, 18” TALL, BENGUIAT FONT (0”) BRIDGE DECK (+2”) CONCRETE GIRDER Note: The same sign would be located on the other side of bridge adjacent to the EB lanes. BLUE LINE LRT EXTENSION August 31, 2026 Bass Lake Rd Bridge Visual Quality East Elevation View with City Signage - Option 1 0’5’10’ EB BASS LK RD WB BASS LK RD NB BOTTINEAU BLVD SIGNAGE DETAIL ON EXTERIOR OF CONCRETE BARRIER STATION AREA WALK WALK COPING (+2”) FACE OF BARRIER (0”) RAISED SIGNAGE BACKGROUND (+1”) RECESSED TEXT WITH BLACK STAIN, 18” TALL, LUCIDA SANS FONT (0”) BRIDGE DECK (+2”) CONCRETE GIRDER Note: The same sign would be located on the other side of bridge adjacent to the EB lanes. Memorandum DATE: September 9, 2026 TO: Crystal City Council FROM: Christopher Jao, Transit Project Coordinator SUBJECT: West Side of Bottineau Blvd. & 47th Ave N. - Boulevard & Trail Width ______________________________________________________________________________ PURPOSE To provide the City Council with an update regarding the proposed trail and boulevard geometry along 47th Ave N & Bottineau Blvd. (CSAH 81) in the current 90% design plans for the METRO Blue Line Extension project, and to present City staff’s technical evaluation regarding the preservation of the existing city trail, boulevard, and trees. BACKGROUND During the 2013 reconstruction of Bottineau Boulevard (CSAH 81), the City of Crystal contributed $2,539,682 toward right-of-way (ROW) acquisitions required by Hennepin County. This city-funded investment specifically included Parcel #3 (4711 Lakeland Ave N) to establish a paved mixed-use trail, a minimum 10-foot boulevard, and trees along the west side of Bottineau Boulevard near 47th Ave N. In reviewing the 60% and 90% design plans, City Staff identified that the current design narrows the existing 10-foot boulevard down to 6 feet and removes three city-funded boulevard trees. Staff raised formal technical comments during the 60% review phase (July 2025) and follow-up inquiries in August 2026 requesting that the 10-foot boulevard footprint and tree canopy be fully restored. KEY DETAILS - The City previously co-funded the acquisition of Parcel #3 specifically to secure a wide corridor accommodating both the 8-foot mixed-use trail, a 10-foot boulevard to separate pedestrians from high-speed traffic, and trees in the boulevard. - City staff conducted on-site field measurements of the noted boulevard and confirmed that the existing boulevard widths currently range between 10 and 11+ feet, with an 8- foot-wide trail. - The 90% design layout shifts the trail into property limits without maintaining the full 10- foot boulevard, resulting in a net loss of the existing boulevard and trees. NEXT STEPS & RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION City staff has consolidated these technical findings into the attached 47th Ave N Boulevard Assessment Report. Staff submitted this report directly to Metro Transit and Hennepin County project leadership prior to the finalization of 100% design plans, which is estimated for the end of September. This item is presented for Council discussion and information. Staff recommends maintaining the City’s formal position that project plans must preserve the 10-foot boulevard and trees as they exist today. 4141 Douglas Drive North • Crystal, Minnesota 55422-1696 Tel: (763) 531-1000 • Fax: (763) 531-1188 • www.crystalmn.gov City of Crystal 47th Ave N Boulevard Assessment Report Location: Bottineau Blvd & 47th Ave N Review Date: August 31, 2026 Description: Crystal City staff performed a site visit and took field measurements to compare against 90% design plans. This assessment compares designed boulevards with existing conditions to understand current conditions and guide final design. Finding A: • Fact: During the construction of Bottineau Boulevard (CSAH 81) as it sits today, the City paid for an acquisition of Parcel #3 (4711 Lakeland), which provides space for a trail and a minimum 10 ft. boulevard with landscaping. It was one of many acquisitions for which Hennepin County required the City of Crystal to pay 50% of the cost. These acquisitions were necessary to create a wider corridor to accommodate the 6-lane design that was required by the county. In total, Hennepin County required the City of Crystal to pay $2,539,682 towards acquisition costs for the 2013 CSAH 81 reconstruction (project #0119). These figures do not include the county-required contributions towards construction, engineering, and other costs of these two CSAH 81 projects. Figure 1 – Image of existing boulevard & trees Figure 2 – An aerial image showing the location of the boulevard and trail. Figure 3 – 2010 acquisitions, final county spreadsheet excerpt Figure 4 – 2009-2010 acquisitions, W side N of 47th Finding B: • Fact: City staff raised concerns about the redesigned trail and boulevard during 60% design review on 7/18. • Observation: City staff did not request this as a “nice to have” but instead listed it as required to restore existing conditions, which were created as part of a larger construction project with a substantial city-funded contribution. Figure 5 – 60% Design Comments Figure 6 – 60% Design Plans Finding C: • Fact: Blue Line Extension Project Staff addressed the city’s comment by moving the trail to add a boulevard. • Observation: It appears the trail was shifted into the property limits of 4711 Lakeland Ave N, Crystal, MN 55429. The designed turn lane, including the holding bay and taper, remains unchanged from 60% design Figure 7 – 90% Design Plans Finding D: • Fact: On 8/4/2026, Crystal requested more information from project staff with respect to the 10 ft. boulevard, acquisition of easements, and replacement of trees in the boulevard • Fact: Project staff met with the city’s liaison to discuss existing conditions, changes made between 60% and 90% design, and offered to replace one of the three trees being removed, despite it not being county standard. Project staff did not propose a design change to accommodate the 10 ft. boulevard. Figure 8 – Email requesting more information Finding E: • Fact: City staff performed a site visit to assess existing conditions. City staff found that the boulevards exceeded 10 ft. and, in some instances, exceeded 11 ft. City staff found that trail width was 8 ft. • Observation: City staff has asked project staff to maintain a 10’ boulevard. Maintaining a 10 ft. boulevard does not replace what is existing there today. Figure 9 – Field measurements taken by the City staff Figure 10 – Field measurement at light pole parallel with Byron Ave N Figure 11 – Field measurement at the northernmost of the three trees being removed Figure 12 – Field measurement at the middle of the three trees being removed Figure 13 – Field measurement at the southernmost of the three trees being removed Analysis: City staff raised concerns early in the project design and asked multiple times for the boulevard to be consistent with existing conditions. The current layout does not maintain existing conditions and significantly reduces the city-funded boulevard and removes the city-funded trees. The project should acquire the additional right-of-way necessary to maintain the existing conditions: a minimum 10 ft. boulevard and three trees in the boulevard. In addition, to restore the full 10 ft. boulevard without property impacts, project staff should explore the size of the storage bay and taper, specifically evaluating a standard urban taper of 10:1 or less per MnDOT Facility Design Guide Section 6:5-3.01.03.