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07/12/1965 - 0002200575 PUBLIC HEARING - CITY COUNCIL - JULY 12, 1965 The Public Hearing was called to order by Mayor Nee at 8:10 P.M ROL� CALL: Members Present; Nee, Kirkham, Thompson, Wright Members Absent: Sheridan (arrived at 9:15 P.M,j � NOTICE OF HEARING- The City Manager read the Notice of Hearing. PIIbLIC HEARING: The City Manager stated that the 1ega1 purpose of the hearing is to a17,ow the property owners to state their ob�ections to the proposed Storm Sewer consttuction pro�ect, The property ownets are also given the opportunity to stare their opinions regarding the proposed design of the storm sewer construction pro�ect The City Council will decide whether or not to pass the resolution ordering the improvement. Mayor Nee stated that in addition to hearing ob�ections to the impxovement, the Council would also be interested in hearing statments of support for the pro�ect. Mayor Nee stated that the City of Fridley is in the process of negotiations with Columbia Heights and the Minnesota Highway Department to participate in construction of the sewer laterals along with the out-fa11. The Mayor stated thaC the reason this pro�ect has noC been constructed in the past is that Columbia Heights has not agreed to participate in the pro�ect in the past and that perhaps the flooding during the past year has induced Columbia Heights to participate in the pro�ect. The Mayor said that the City obtained preliminary cost estimaYes of Che construction of the pro�ect and whereas these estimates aie not final � or perfect it is the hope of the Council that these estimates are reasonaUly c1oSe to the final construction cosCS of the pro�ect Mayor Nee then asked Mr. 01son of Comstock and Davis, Con.sulting Engineers, to discuss the plans to the construction pro�ect. Mr. Olson stated that the cost of construction will be in excess of 1 million dollars, that the total share of the City of Eridley is estimated to be $262,40�.00, A sepazate part of the project will be the construction of laCeral lines in the Cily of Fridley in addition to which the City will participate in the cost of the outfall. The cost of the laterals in Fridley amounts to $122,400 00 of the pro�ect Mr. Olson stated that the pro�ect is a �oint pro�ect oF Eridley, Columbia Heig hts and the Minnesota Highway Department, but the Minnesota Highway Department is responsible for the ma]or parC of the design, since the line will drain the right-of-way of T.H. ��47- Mayor Nee stated that due to the constxuction, the streets in the area will be torn up and that cost estimates of the pro�ect include the cost of restoring the streets to their present condition, which for the most part is �& H paving Councilman Wright stated thathe believes that the need for construction of this pro�ect is clear. There is a need to improve the streets in the area and install storm sewer drainage, that pipes for storm sewer drainage should be laid and completed before streets are constructed, and that it is the purpose of this design to collect a11 the water which is ivkely to be in the axea in order to relieve the flood prohleme in the area. Councilman Wright said that there ' will be separate assessments, one for construction of the storm sewer, and one for street paving, He stated that the streets will not be paved unt11 the ground has settled fxom back-filling for the sewer constructlon. Mayor Nee stated that he would like to hear statements from the visitors to the Council Meeting, hearing first any questions which the propez'tyowners may have concerning the pro�ect, then statements from the property owners in favor of the pro�ect, and last statements from the property owners opposed to the pro�ect William S. Graeff, 184 Panorama, asked whether the construction of the storm sewer latezal north of 49th Avenue is needed. He stated that two small iatexais 76 already serve the area, Mr. Olson, representative of Comstock & D�vis, stated that the drainage problem north of 49th Avenue was caused by the fact that the outfall line oi� T, H. ��100 to which this drainage system is connected is not large enough to handle all of the water s�uth of T,H. ��100. Construction of the lateral north of 49th Avenue will take water from part of this area and drain it into the new outfall 1ine, reducing the £kow in the outfall line on T. H. ��lOD Mr. 01son stated further that it is the least costly method to drain this area. Councilman Wright stated that when designing the completed�s�rm sewer system, the City solves all the worst drainage problems first and then constructs other laterals to relieve the remaining drai.nage problems. The design of the new ' system should handle the worst part of the problems in the remaining area and fit in with the final design of the ��tire system in an orderly manner. �r. Graeff asked whether the cost of the pro�ect �ould be paid entirely by assessments against property owners in the drainage district, Councilman Wright answered that only part of the cost will be assessed against the property benefiting, and that only property benefiting will bear thie portion o£ the cost The remainder of the cost will be borne by the Minnesota Highway Department and the City of Columbia Heights. Mr. Krutzfeldt, 4989 Roman Road, asked why construction of the storm sewer lateral north of 49th Avenue was necessary and said the property owners had no trouble before the construction of the industrial buildings south of T.H. ��100, namely the Reserve Supply building and the Midland Coop building. Mr. Krutzfeldt asked why a storm sewer line is not eonstructed to drain the proper�y of the industrial buildings rather than extending a lateral as far as Panorama Avenue to pick up the water flowing down the hill from the industrial property Mayor Nee answered that the system in existence in this part of Fridley is overloaded, that construction of the proposed lateral will reduce the overload allowing the present system to handle most of the water which drains into the area. Mayor Nee, stated further, that property owners assessed in the past for the construction of storm sewer laterals will be given credit for their past assessments when determining assessments for the new storm sewer laterals. He stated that this area obviously needs further drainage and that flooding of the arm demonstrates that construction of the laterals is necessary. Mr. Graeff stated that the � properties in his area do not need any additlonal storm sewer drainage. Mr. Paul H. Isaacson, 4550-22 Street, stated that the water flowing from the industrial buildings along Main Street onto the intersection of Panorama and Roman Road flows at a speed of 50 miles per hour and would flow right over a catch basin making it impossible for the City to pick up the water by means of a catch basin, He stated that it would be necessary for the City to build basins at each catch basin in order to drain the water from the street. William fI. Lee stated that he was representing the Northern Facific Railroad, He asked why the assessment area has as its boundary the center line of the' Northern Pacific Railroad tracks. The City Englneer answered that it is diffi- cult to draw the boundary lines of the assessment area at this time He stated that when final plans are drawn, the boundary lines of the assessment area probaUly will not run down the center line of the Northern Pacific Railroad track. Mr. Lee asked why the boundaries of the drainage area would be discussed at the assessment hearing rather than the Public Hearing this evening. The Mayor answered that the final design of the system has not yet been made and after the final design has been ordered and completed, the Council will hold an assessment hearing to determine who should pay costs of the storm sewer system Mr. Isaacson, 4550-2z Street Northeast, asked when the construction of the pro�ect ' will be completed. Mr Olson answered that the Minnesota Highway Department plans to let bids for the construction pro�ect on October 15 and that if the agreement between theCity of Fridley, the City of Columbia Heights and the Minnesota Highway Dep4artment is made shortly, the City of Fridley will let the contract for construction of the storm sewer system this fall and perhaps the construction would be completed next summer. Councilman Wright stated that the big problem in getting the construction completed was getting the cooperation of the City of Columbia Heights, He stated that Columbia Heights has agreed to participate in the pro�ect and now rt remains to design the system, take bids on it and construct it. Mr. E. J. Kowalski, 185 Gibralter Road, stated that all the water which flows on Gibralter Road comes down along 49th Avenue from Main Street. He stated that 77 property ovmers on Gibralter Road wi11 not Uemrit from construction of this storm sewer unless the storm sewer also drains Main Street. He stated that the present plans for constiuctionfof this storm sewer system include only one drain in the area and this drain wi11 be insufEicient to prevent flooding of Gibralter Road. Councilman Wright asked whether it would be better to install catch basins on Main Street Prom 48th Avenue to 44th Avenue and at the intersection of Pi1ot and Gibralter Dr�ve to relieve the flooding in this area Mr Olson answered that the best way to drain the waeer from this area is to drain it into a catch , basin at Panorama and Roman Drive. Councilman Wright stated that it is possible for the City to drain water from the area by running the water down concrete gutters which the City wi11 build in the area or pick the water up at a low spot in a catch Uasin. Mayor Nee stated thaC the Council would investi�ate the problem of benefit to Che property owners north of 49th Avenue, considering the benefits the property owners o6tain from the diainage district connected to the ouL-fa11 line along T, H. dk100. Mr. Thomas Kelly of 4917 Roman Road asked whether it is really cheaper to install a bigger intake on Panorama Drive and Roman Road than to drain the waters from this area into the outfall line along T, H. d�100. Mr Olson answered that the outfall line along T, H. 9k100 and the lateral system leading to it fi11s up and cannot properly drain this area. Mr. Ke11y stated that the fuel oil flood from the Midland Coop Building iollowing the �ornado flowed down Main Street and onto Panorama demonstrating that water flows this way also when the area north of Panorama is flooded, Alex Kurak, 112 Panorama Avenue, stated that the water comes from the north down Main Street from the Midland Coop Building and the Reserve Supply building, He asked what the City will do to drain the water from the Mid�and Coop and Reserve Supply buildings befbre it runs down Panorama Avenue. Mr. Graeff stated that the construction will not feasibly drain the area north � of 49th Avenue. He stated that the water which runs into this area�.from the south is a very small amount, that most of the water runs into this area from the north and wi11 continue to do so and consCruction of a catch basin at Roman Road and Gibralter Road wil� not drain the water from this area. Council- man Wright told Mr. Graeff that he is saying that the drainage area and pipes should be extended to thenorth. Mr. Graeff stated that this is coriect. Mayor Nee consulted with the City Engineer and i nformed Mr Graeff that the �esign was not extended to the north Uecause it would be necessary to lower the storm sewer pipes to do so and this would raise the cost of the pro�ect. He stated that if the pro�ect is completed and the area is not property drained. A4r Graeff could ask the Council to delete the special assessment from his property Mr Kowalski stated that the water flows past Roman Road and Gibralter and that the City cannot expect to collect this water by installing a catch ba'sin at this point. Mr, Olson stated that it is the purpose of catch basins to collect- water He stated that where the water by-passes a catch Uasin, the City will install another catch basin and design the gutter to drain the water into the catch basins. The Mayor stated that this inwlves a question of the most economical system which will drain the water from the area Mr. Graeff stated that he does not want the storm sewer pro�ect constructed since it will not benefit his property The Mayor stated that the Council will investigate the ob�ections which Mr. Graeff and his neighhors presented to the Council. � Mr L1oyd Blashill, 211-45th Avenue Northeast, said that when the block in which he lives was laid out, two drainage ditches were buiLt oh the block and drainage easements exist in this block He asked whether catch basins would pick up the water from these drainage ditches at the street The Ciry Engineer replied that the Council provides drainage only for streets and not for private property. Councilman Wright asked Mr. Blashill whether when 2z Street is dry his property is flooded. Mr. Blashill answered that he would like to have catch basins installed on his property, Councilman Wriglrt stated thatn when 2z Street is dry, his property should not be flooded unless there are low spots on his � property. Councilman Wright stated that the new storm sewer system will drain the street and if there are still problems after the new storm sewer system is installed, the system can be enlarged. Ma�or Nee stated that water Irom Columbia Heights which now flows into this axea can 6e drained into catch basins before it runs into Fridley 7� William H. Sandin, 201 - 45th Avenue Northeast, stated that the builder who sold him his house told him that catch basins will be installed on his property and were included in the plans of the City. He asked what happened to the original plans Mayor Nee stated that contractors promise a lot of things and their word Ls only as good as their bond. Mr. Sandin stated that �e former City Manager, Clarence Maddy, was aware of these plans. He asked what the property owners can do in order to get catch basins installed on their property. Mayor Nee stated that if the property owners in the block are willing to pay for the catch basins, the City will install the catch basins for them and charge the property owners in the block for the construction. Mayor Nee asked for a show of hands of those in favor of the pro�ect and a show of hands for those opposed to the pro�ect Mr. Graeff stated that he and his neighbors opposed construction of the pro�ect hecause the small part of the pro�ect north of 49th Avenue is included in this drainage pro�ect. Mayor Nee stated that when the final plans are drawn if it appears that the lateral north of 49th Avenue should not be included inthe drainage dzstrict, it will be deleted. Councilman TJright stated that he wished to make it clear that his own position as Councilman for this ward is that the City will solve the drainage problems, beginning with the worst problem first There will be no double assessments on any of the property even though some of the property oWners may have assessments split between two of the drainage districts. Councilman Thomps�n stated that the City intends to solve these drainage problems. He stated that the CYty has had unusuai weather which contributed to these problems. The City has had some problems with the growth of industry providing unusually latge drainage areas to the City, but he stated that the County intends to rebuild part of Main Street in the future and will take care oF the problem along Main Street, He stated that the City will solve the worst drainage problems first and that if not all the problems are solved immediately the c�ty W�1i solve them at some time in the near future. He stated that other problems which the City of Fridley has because of the tornado made rt difficult for the City to work fu11 time on this pro�ect. He stated that the Council hopes the pro�ect can be completed within 18 months. 5everal visitors who did not give their names spoke in favor of this pro�ect Mayor Nee declared the hearing closed. AD JOi7RNMENT • There being no further statements or questions from the f3oor or bq the City Council, fIayor Nee declared the hearing ad�ourned at 9:50 P,M, Respectfully submitted, e'� 7r..: �cs� �i'��L' Ra�onci E. Bade Secretary to the CounciZ �/V f�L� � " — William . Nee Mayor ' 1 SOARD OF EQUALIZATION MEETING MINUTES - JIILY 19, 1965 (CONTINIIED FROM SULY 7, 1465) The Soard of Cqualization meeting was called to order by Mayor Nee at 7;46 P.M, ROLL CALL: Members Present; Nee, Kirkham, Wright, Thompson PIembers Absent: Sheridan " Mayor Ivee stated that this meeting oi the Board ofEqualization is a continuation of the meeting of July 7, 1965. The Board of Equalization meeting, the Mayor said, this year concerns valuations of personal property. The Mayor said that if '