02-05-96 Worksession
CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Study Session
February
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Kirsch at 7:00 p.m.
Martin Kirsch, Mayor; Michael Sandahl; Susan Rosenberg; Russ
Members Present:
Susag; and Don Priebe.
James Prosser, City Manager; Steven Administrative
Staff Present
Services Director; Bruce Palmborg, Acting Community Development
Director; Randy Hughes, Operations Coordinator; Jack Erskine,
Public Safety Director; Thomas Ferber, City Clerk; Jamie Verbrugge,
Media Assistant; Julie Urban, Zoning Administrator; and Bill Nikituk,
Crime Prevention Officer.
Public Safety Director Erskine reviewed Study Session Letter No.1 regarding a new
Item # II OF 1996 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE.
LETTER NO. 2
City Manager Prosser reviewed Study Session Letter No. 2 regarding the status of
the 1996 Comprehensive Plan Update.
Kristal Stokes, Planning Commission member, presented an overview of the
process that the steering and the Planning Commission used in working with
the consulting firm, The Brauer Group, to complete the draft of the plan.
Don Brauer, The Brauer Group, discussed and responded to questions regarding
the plan review process, plan components, and land use changes.
Discussion followed regarding the importance of communicating with the public to
facilitate understanding of the purpose and use of the Comprensive Plan.
Operations Coordinator Hughes reviewed Study Session Letter No. 3 and
responded to questions regarding the status of ice and snow removal efforts to address
the problems created by the recent rain storm and subsequent below zero temperatures.
OLICY AND STRATEGY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
Item IV
OF P
AIRPORT PLANNING PROCESS DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT STATEMENT.
LETTER NO. 4
City Manager Prosser reviewed Study Session Letter No. 4 regarding policy and
strategy recommendations for responding to the Dual track Airport Planning Process Draft
Environmental Impact Statement.
Cindy Fish, airport consultant, discussed her analysis of the Dual Track D.E.I.S.
identifying the following major issues:
The
does not provide adequate information regarding the noise impacts from
¦
ground level activities of the proposed north-south runway. The north-south runway
would remove Rich Acres Golf Course, which currently serves as an effective buffer
from ground operations at the airport. in addition, the new runway would be
significantly closer to residential properties than any other existing runway. Richfield
has previously requested special consideration of ground level noise impacts.
The north-south runway was selected over other options to increase capacity. At least
¦
one other option, a north parallel, appears to be a reasonable alternative. The
selection of the north-south versus a north parallel does not appear to be strongly
supported. Richfield is seeking additional information regarding the relative
advantages and disadvantages of this runway selection.
The primary reason cited for development of a north-south runway is to increase
¦
capacity. Richfield believes that there are additional capacity improvement programs
which could be undertaken which would delay the need for an additional runway.
These airport capacity improvements have not been fully explored in the draft EIS.
The development of a west terminal would require significant changes to the roadway
¦
National and state environmental protection laws require that mitigation measures be
¦
identified to address potential environmental impacts. The draft EIS does not provide
mitigation measures for residential property. This is especially important since MAC’s
plan for the north-south runway not only causes a new impact on Richfield residential
The overall draft EIS appears to be significantly deficient in terms of technical
¦
Larry Wozniczka, 6744 Wentworth Avenue, asked questions and discussed issues
about strategy related to whether the airport remains at its present site and land use
It was the consensus of the City Council that staff undertake a scoping study to
more thoroughly explore the following draft EIS issues:
This review would examine whether or not there are prudent, feasible
¦
alternatives to the north-south runway, i.e., the north parallel runway. State law
requires that MAC meet this test. The estimated cost of reviewing whether it is prudent
to more fully explore this alternative is $3,800.
Noise impacts:
This effort would assess the ability of the City to identify noise impacts
from ground level operations on Richfield properties. The estimated cost would be
Mitiaation Measures: If the north-south is to be constructed some time in the future, it is
appropriate for the City to consider appropriate mitigative measures to reduce noise
impacts on adjacent land uses. The estimated cost of this effort is $5,000.
Review: In order to more fully explore the potential technical
compliance of the draft EIS with federal and state laws, review by a special counsel,
such as Steven Pflaum of McDermott, Will Emery, could be considered by the
Council. The estimated cost of a review by Mr. Pflaum is estimated to be $5,000.
OF POLICY AND STRATEGY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR
AIRPORT RELATED ISSUES.
S. LETTER NO. 5
CityManager Prosser reviewed Study Session Letter No. 5 providing a status
report on the following airport issues:
New Ford Town and Rich Acres Acquisition
¦
Runway 4-22 Extension
¦
Part 150 Sound Insulation Program
¦
.
Joint Airport Planning Effort
¦
State Advisory Council on Metropolitan Airport Planning
¦
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
City Manager Prosser reviewed Study Session Letter No. 6 regarding alternative
formats for conducting Council meetings with the City’s Advisory Boards and
Commissions.
It was the consensus of the City Council that each Council liaison would offer these
alternatives to their respective Advisory Board and Commission. Each Board and
Commission will decide which alternative or alternatives to utilize to meet with the City
Study Session MinutesFebruary 5, 1996
Council. It was the consensus of the City Council that at least one meeting with the Board
or Commission occur each year.
OF COMMUNICATION MATERIALS REGARDING RICHFIELD
S. LETTER NO. 7
. .
City Manager Prosser reviewed Study Session No. 7 regarding a
communications presentation entitled TOP and
REASONS To Live, Work Do
which is available for Council Members to use to
Business in Richfield-1996 and Beyond
make presentations within the community.
City Council Members expressed interest in having additional communication
materials developed in a similiar manner on other issues such as crime, airport, tax
increment financing, and the fourth liquor store.
The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at p.m.
Date Approved:
Mayor
Martin J.
James D. Prosser
Thomas P. Ferber
City Manager
City Clerk