RES 1991-86 - 00003758141
RESOLUTION NO. 86 - 1991
RESOLUTION REGARDING REVIEW OF THE NORTHEAST
CORRIDOR LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEM PRELIMINARY
DESIGN PLANS
WHEREAS, the Anoka County Regional Rail Authority has prepared
Preliminary Design Plans as defined in Minnesota State Statutes
473.3993; and
WHEREAS, the Anoka County Regional Rail Authority conducted a
public hearing on September 26, 1991; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota State Statute 473.3994 requires that the City
hold a public hearing within 45 days after the Anoka County
Regional Rail Authority hearing as identified above; and
WHEREAS, the City of Fridley conducted a public hearing on
Thursday, October 24, 1991; and
WHEREAS, the City of Fridley has not been asked to comment on the
appropriateness of LRT in the Metro area; and
WHEREAS, Minnesota State Statute 473.3994 requires a local unit of
government to approve or disapprove the Preliminary Design Plans;
and
' WHEREAS, the City of Fridley is responsible for the health, safety,
and welfare of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, the City of Fridley expends approximately 50% of its
budget providing and supporting public safety services, making
public safety our primary service; and
WHEREAS, the City of Fridley has in the past rejected the idea of
moving the Fridley Police and Fire stations, and instead has
recently remodeled and refurbished these facilities; and
WHEREAS, the proposed location of the light rail transit in
relation to the Fire and Police stations poses several conflicts
and problems as identified in Exhibit A, clearly the most serious
of these conflicts is accessibility; and
WHEREAS, the City of Fridley has determined that the only
reasonable solution to the access problems would be an underground
tunnel for LRT in the vicinity of the Fridley Fire and Police
stations.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Fridley approves
the Preliminary Design Plans on the sole condition that the Anoka
' County Regional Rail Authority provides access to the Fridley Fire
and Police stations that is, in the sole opinion of the City of
Fridley, equal to or greater than the existing access.
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Page 2 -- Resolution No. 86 - 1991
1
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Fridley's approval is given
subject to the Anoka County Regional Rail Authority adequately
addressing the following stipulations:
1. Satisfactory responses to the questions identified during the
Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Further, the City of
Fridley be allowed additional time to review the Final
Environmental Impact Statement and be given until February 1,
1992 to provide comments.
2. All existing bikeway /walkways affected by the LRT construction
shall be reconstructed /replaced. LRT crossings with
bikeway /walkway facilities shall be properly signalized.
3. Park - and -ride sites shall have adequate detention facilities,
and new storm sewers along the alignment shall be properly
sized in accordance with City and Watershed District
requirements.
4. The feeder bus routes should include looping the Mississippi
Street route to the west to East River Road.
5. The station design and LRT infrastructure should aesthetically
match the concepts of the University Avenue Corridor plan.
6. The recreational opportunities at Columbia Arena and Community
Park may dictate creation of another park- and -ride station at
Columbia Arena.
7. In addition to installation of an underground LRT tunnel in
the vicinity of the Fire and Police stations, the Rail
Authority shall adequately address the problems and conflicts
identified in Exhibit A.
PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FRIDLEY THIS
4TH DAY OF NOVEMBER, 1991.
,�2 ,�. '<Z.L,
DENNIS L. SCHNEIDER - MAYOR PRO TER
ATTEST:
A (;§c SHIRLEY A. AAPALA - CITY CLERK
143
EZRIBIT A
It is not clear how the road intersection signalization and
the light rail transit signalization will be coordinated, and
whether or not Fridley's emergency vehicles will be given
absolute priority.
2. The revised location of the frontage road prevents the
maneuverability of emergency vehicles in front of the Fire
station and forces the vehicles to cross onto the light rail
transit tracks.
3. It is not clear which jurisdiction would be responsible for
the costs to enhance the signalization system at the
intersection of University Avenue and Mississippi Street.
4. It is not clear how the City of Fridley's insurance premium
would be affected due to the necessity of fire fighters and
emergency vehicles having to cross the LRT tracks. The City
cannot afford the additional costs.
5. The revised location of the frontage road will dictate
adjustments to medians in Mississippi Street and along
University Avenue. It is not clear if these adjustments will
be made.
' 6. The revised frontage road location will remove half of the
existing Fire Department's parking lot and would dictate a
severe intrusion into the existing park area near the
Municipal Center.
7. Overhead power lines must be high enough to accommodate the
height of the fire vehicles.
8. When the signalization is being designed, any emitters that
will be created must account for an emitter in the Fire
Station, the emergency vehicles, and for the three fire
departments in mutual aid.
9. The signalization systems used for the LRT system must have
a back -up source of power.