09-17-2018 Work Session Complete AgendaS P E C IAL C IT Y C O U N C IL W O R K S E S S IO N
R IC H F IE L D MU N IC IPAL C E N TE R, B AR TH O LO ME W R O O M
S E P TEMB E R 17, 2018
6:15 P M
C all to order
1.Lyndale Avenue Reconstruction project
A djournment
Auxiliary aids for individuals with disabilities are available upon request. Requests must be made at
least 96 hours in advance to the City Clerk at 612-861-9738.
CITY OF RICHFIELD, MINNESOTA
Office of City Manager
September 13, 2018
Council Memorandum No. 70
The Honorable Mayor
and
Members of the City Council
Subject: Summary of actions following approval of the Lyndale Avenue Design
Council Members:
Since the approval of the preliminary design for Lyndale Avenue on June 12, 2018 , staff
has continued to work towards the successful delivery of the project. Those efforts have
been focused on two major initiatives:
1. Completing the final design – This effort includes meeting with all residents and
businesses that are directly impacted to discuss the upcoming construction in
detail, how it may impact their property, and make minor adjustments to the plan ,
as needed. Through the final design process minor design changes have been
made to accommodate parking and turn-arounds and preserve established
landscaping features. A summary of where the team is with this effort follows:
Design team has concluded face-to-face meetings with:
i. Twenty-four (24) of the 28 businesses along the corridor –
continued efforts are being made to connect with the last four.
ii. Forty (40) of the 67 residential properties along the corridor, those
efforts have been focused primarily between 70th and 74th Streets.
Staff anticipates having concluded all meetings prior to winter.
The following design modifications to the approved layout have resulted
from the meetings and will be incorporated in final design:
i. Meandering the trail to reduce impacts
ii. Altering green space widths to save trees
iii. Minimizing the width of the turn lane
iv. Adjustments to on-street parking locations
o These modifications allow for 19 out of 25 oak trees between 70 th and
74th to be saved. Of the six that are still identified for removal, three are
unhealthy and should be taken down regardless of the project.
The project website has been updated to address Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs).
A petition deadline has been identified as September 30, 2018, in
anticipation of a petition from Oak Grove Boulevard residents regarding
the consideration of a cul-de-sac on Oak Grove at Lyndale. This allows for
a short public involvement process to conclude prior to City Council
consideration and still keep the project on schedule.
2. Discussion with residents on Oak Grove – Following approval of the preliminary
design, staff was committed to meeting with the residents on Oak Grove
Boulevard to help them understand the community-based process that led to the
proposed/approved design and address their concerns related to the future
Lyndale Avenue. Those discussions have been ongoing, below is a summary of
the effort related to this initiative.
Provided extensive data to the neighborhood upon Larry Koch’s request.
Attended a neighborhood forum on July 26, 2018 , to discuss concerns
regarding the project, staked property lines and future curb lines to aide in
the discussion.
Conducted a detailed review of the operations of the proposed roundabout
at 70th Street compared to a signal as it relates to traffic gap creation
southbound on Lyndale Avenue.
Addressed questions and concerns through ongoing e -mail
communication. A sampling of the neighborhood discussion points are
below (full list attached).
i. Impacts to greenspace/trees along the corridor
ii. Logic behind three roundabouts on Lyndale
iii. Property and access impacts to Ms. Wagner
iv. Lack of safety problem at 70th/Lyndale to warrant a roundabout
v. Request to remove bike lanes from Lyndale design
If you have any questions please contact Kristin Asher, Public Works Director, at 612 -
861-9795.
Respectfully submitted,
Steven L. Devich
City Manager
SLD:kda
Attachment
Email: Assistant City Manager
Department Directors
Oak Grove Blvd Discussion Points
June 12th to Present
Oak Grove Neighborhood email conversations began in response to Transportation Engineer Jack Broz’s
response to the Koch Law Firm letter sent on behalf of Nola Wagner. The Koch letter was dated 6/12 and
sent to Council. Larry Koch and five others spoke in opposition to the Lyndale reconstruction preliminary
design at the 6/12 meeting. Broz met with Nola Wagner and Larry Koch on 6/19 to alleviate the concerns
raised in the 6/12 letter:
“material increase safety risk” to pedestrians and vehicles w/ roundabout at 70th and Lyndale
“unnecessarily impedes” Wagner’s access to/from Lyndale and her property
“unnecessarily impedes” access to/from Lyndale from Oak Grove Blvd
“adverse impact of the roundabout on Nola’s property”
“any roundabout poses an additional unreasonable risk to pedestrians crossing any street as there
is no time during which the traffic entering or exiting from 70th street is stopped”
“Based upon the foregoing safety issues, the roundabout would violate the City of Richfield’s
own Complete Streets Policy…”
Larry Koch followed up with another letter to Broz asking for any and all material, data, designs,
comments, concerns, lists of attendees, reports, presentations, open house materials, videotapes, traffic
simulations, emails, analyses, transportation commission meetings and minutes, studies, and rationale for
the layout of the preliminary design of Lyndale approved by Council on 6/12. Broz provided as much
information as possible and on 6/29 Jackie Hayes, acting as the contact for Oak Grove residents, emailed
Broz requesting a meeting in July to discuss the material Broz provided. Richfield staff, City Council
members and Transportation Commissioners and liaisons met with concerned Oak Grove residents on
7/26 in the Oak Grove neighborhood. An email dialogue has continued through August and to the present.
The following concerns have been raised by Oak Grove neighbors and have been addressed by staff. The
concerns include:
Depletion of our natural resource of green space/reckless destruction of trees
Provide the logic supporting three roundabouts along Lyndale
Dramatic pedestrian access and safety issues resulting from a 70th/Lyndale roundabout
Unacceptable property and access impacts to Wagner and others
Costs/needs/liability/dangers of bike lanes. “Quit appeasing the minority requests (bike
advocates)” Request to eliminate bike lanes from Lyndale
Request for citizen panel/participation in final design process
Request to stake out ROW boundary on E & W side of Lyndale from 70th to 74th
Request for putting a cul-de-sac at Oak Grove and Lyndale and resulting design changes
Request for cost/property impacts of a signal vs. roundabout
Why put a roundabout at Lyndale and 70th if people aren’t dying there? There is no safety need?
Why can’t Richfield move the roundabout East onto others’ property?
Why can’t Richfield put bike lanes on a different road so as to narrow the project footprint?
There’s no bike path link with Minneapolis, aka no bike commuter benefit
How many homeowners/businesses has Richfield talked to?
Why is Lyndale so different than Portland and Nicollet?
Why isn’t Oak Grove Church sharing the burden?
If Richfield eliminates the sidewalk and bike path on the West side of Lyndale wouldn’t we be
able to save all the trees?
Demonstrate that the roundabout is safest choice for 70th and Lyndale
Roundabouts inhibit livability and safety
Please define “direct property impacts”
Please define what Richfield means by “contact” residents and businesses
Address the safety, reason, and purpose of a bike lane on Lyndale vs. Aldrich.
Identify along the corridor the widest sidewalk/curb on each side of the project
The peak traffic times for pedestrians and vehicles together will exceed the safe carrying capacity
of the roundabout that is currently on the approved plan
Residents living on Lyndale Ave, Oak Grove Blvd and 71st Street will struggle to safely enter
Lyndale Ave without a signal light to disrupt the flow of traffic
Concerns regarding expanding the Lyndale corridor by utilizing the city’s existing right-of-way