11-28-12 Speciall CC meeting minutes Special Meeting
of the
City Council
November 28, 2Q12
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a special meeting of the City Council of the City of
Golden Valley, Hennepin County, Minnesota was held at 7800 Golden Valley Road in said
City on November 7, 2012 at 6:30 pm.
The following members were present: Clausen, Freiberg, Harris, Pentel and Scanlon. Also
present were: Thomas Burt, City Manager and Judy Nally, Administrative Assistant.
Pledqe of Alleqiance
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Review Support of the Bottineau Transitwav
Joseph Gladke, Hennepin County, presented a PowerPoint overview of the Bottineau
Transitway and answered questions from the Council.
Linda Higgins, Hennepin County Gommissioner, stated that the Board is asking Golden
Valley to pass a resolution of support for the D1 line.
Mark Fuhrmann, Metropolitan Councit, presented a PowerPoint overview of the regional
transitways.
The Mayor opened the meeting for public input and persons present to do so were
afforded the opportunity to express their views thereon.
Bernie Millstein, 1835 Noble Drive, wanted to know if we need or want a connection to light
rail, had questions regarding parking, noise, pollution, additional traffic on Golden Valley
Road, and intervals of the trains.
Andrew Snope, 1320 Unity Avenue North, stated there has been concern about a survey
that was conducted by the Minneapolis Building Trades and stated he was partially behind
the survey, stated they are concerned about jobs and this corridor will create jobs and
would like to see more jobs in the area; the Building Trades manager is available to give
out the results of the survey, feels the first resolution adopted by the Council was a general
acceptance of the light rail line and the new resolution for consideration puts the study
back on track and is important and would like to see the light rail line approved.
Nancy Huntley, 2925 Kyle Avenue North, stated the line will run every 7'/2 minutes during
the rush hour and every 15 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes at night, doesn't
think there will be that much demand, stated she went to the meeting held at Theodore
Wirth but the people there did not want to listen to any other alternatives, once they
decided a certain route they did not want to promote any other route, the Council had
already decided on the light rail and wanted to know why the issue had to be revisited and
asked how many times will it be revisited; and questioned the timing of the vote as one
Council Member will be leaving.
Special Meeting of the City Council
November 28, 2012
Page 2
Review Support of the Bottineau Transitwav - Continued
Rich Baker, 224 Janalyn Circle, would like to see more study of the project, the resolution
distributed at the meeting goes beyond supporting study, the scoping is done and the ten
items in the resolution strike me as gifts being asked by the City and asked that they be
studied during the preliminary engineering phase; the resolution should be made clear that
the items be studied only if the D1 line is selected or they should be removed from the
resolution because they are not relevant to the DIS, stated he is not convinced that the
Metropolitan Gouncil is interested in listening to our comments; feels jobs will be created
regardless of what route is selected, encourage the Council to vote against the resolution.
Elaine Wynne, 315 Georgia Avenue North, feels that Wirth Park is a sacred space, feels it
does not belong to Golden Valley, supports light rail but feels that other options should be
looked at and that it is not toa late to look at other options, feels that consideration of the
Bottineau line was so sudden, suggested other routes along 169 highway 100, Winnetka
Avenue or north Minneapolis, and expressed concern over the enviranmental impacts of
running the line through Wirth Park.
Carolyn Berry, 2936 Kyle Avenue North, stated she was a former environmental attorney
and engineer, asked if the light rail on this line will be environmentally beneficial to us, does
light rail reduce pollution, how many people will ride the line, how many cars will stop
driving, stated she in unconvinced that this is an environmentally sound decision, feel it
could effect wetland, is it a benefit to Golden Valley, wanted to know where people will
park, will they be parking in neighborhoods, asked about the costs, feels the Council
should reject the location, feels that if the bulk of the residents oppose the idea the Council
should vote no.
Steven Dent, 5929 St. Croix Avenue, feels that Golden Valley is being presented with an
opportunity to be connected to light rail and it should take it; stated when he lived in
Minneapolis he used light rail, feels Golden Valley is stagnant, stated St. Louis Park is
developing and feels the light rail will bring in more people and generate tax revenue; feels
public transportation is horrible, he has a student who lives with him and he works at a
restaurant late in the evening/early morning and he can't get a bus after 11 pm and can't
get home; feels it would also allow people to get to Theodore Wirth Park who in the past
were not able to; feels it would be a mistake not to turn down light rail and want the Council
to have the vision and wisdom to look into the future and determine what is needed.
Larry Johnson, 315 Georgia Avenue North, stated he approves light rail, he uses public
transportation; feels there will be a need as the baby boomers age and they can't drive;
feels that bus transportation is bad in the suburbs and takes a lot of time; feels light rail will
be faster; wants the Council to make the best decision for the majority of the people and
build the Bottineau Transitway.
The Mayor closed the public hearing.
Special Meeting of the City Council
November 28, 2012
Page 3
Review Support of the Bottineau Transitwav - Continued
The Council will consider a revised resofution at the December 4, 2012 Council meeting.
Adiournment
MOVED by Scanlon, seconded by Pentel and motion carried unanimously to adjourn the
meeting at 8:28 pm.
Shepard M. Harris, Mayor
ATTEST:
Judy Nally, Administrative Assistant