07-10-17 PC Minutes - Comp Plan Special Meeting of the
Golden Valley Planning Commission
July 10, 2017
A special meeting of the Planning Commission was held at the Golden Valley City Hall,
Council Chambers, 7800 Golden Valley Road, Golden Valley, Minnesota, on Monday,
July 10, 2017. Chair Segelbaum called the meeting to order at 6:30 pm.
Those present were Planning Commissioners Baker, Blum, Kluchka, Segelbaum, and
Waldhauser. Also present were Planning Manager Jason Zimmerman, Associate
Planner/Grant Writer Emily Goellner, Community Development Intern Kayla Grover, and
SEH Traffic Consultant Mike Kotila. Commissioners Blenker and Johnson were absent.
1. 6-6:30 pm: Open House (Transportation)
2. 6:30-8 pm: Presentation and Discussion (Transportation)
Goellner stated that this Comp Plan discussion will focus on the transportation chapter of
the Comprehensive Plan. She referred to the Comprehensive Plan word cloud that staff
created from residents' comments and stated that staff has incorporated the comments
into the language in the transportation plan. She added that some of the themes in the
transportation chapter include: supporting a dynamic town center, showcasing Golden
Valley as a "green" community, emphasizing all aspects of a multi-modal transportation
system, ensuring policies, procedures, and decisions are inclusive, and making important
investments in infrastructure.
Goellner stated that there are six goals in the transportation chapter. Goal 1 is to preserve
and enhance the transportation system, goal 2 is to improve the functionality and safety of
the roadway network, goal 3 is to expand the bicycle and pedestrian network in order to
provide a balanced system of transportation alternatives, goal 4 is to maximize safety,
comfort, and convenience for bicyclists and pedestrians, goal 5 is to support and promote
increased transit usage, and goal 6 is to integrate community values and character into
the transportation system.
Mike Kotila, SEH Traffic Engineer, reviewed the elements of the transportation chapter
which include: the travel demand forecast based on Met Council models, a roadway
capacity assessment, a functional classification evaluation, transit, bicycle and pedestrian
systems, airports, freight and heavy commercial vehicles, right of way preservation,
access management, and implementation. Baker asked about the timing of the travel
demand forecast. Kotila said he thinks it will be late summer/early fall before he gets
information from the Met Council.
Kotila showed the Commission a traffic volume map that showed growth amounts on
certain roads. He next discussed a map that analyzes safety issues and shows crash
locations. Blum asked if the severity of crashes is tracked. Kotila said yes, the severity of
crashes is tracked along with the rate and frequency of crashes. Baker asked if there are
examples of where changes have been made. Kotila discussed changes made to
Medicine Lake Road and Douglas Drive and several other intersections and
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July 10, 2017
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configurations where improvements have been made. Baker asked why only four years of
data is being shown. Kotila said the data loses relevance over time and after
improvements have been made.
Goellner stated that the City Council appointed an 11-member task force to help with the
bicycle and pedestrian planning. She explained that the task force's recommended plan
includes: goals, objectives, and policies, a map of improvements, guidance for types of
bicycle facilities, and guidance for intersection improvements. The recommended goals
for the Comp Plan include: expanding the bike and pedestrian network to provide a
balanced system of modes/alternatives and to maximize safety, comfort, and
convenience for all ages and abilities. She stated that some of the recommended
objectives and policies include: better north-south routes, connections to destinations
such as Brookview, light rail, and schools, removing barriers and gaps, Highway 55
crossings, adding bike racks, safety and comfort in general, compatibility between modes,
consistent facility design, and wayfinding signage. She showed a map from the City's web
site that allowed people to add comments/concerns about the bike and pedestrian
system.
Goellner referred to a map of the bicycle and pedestrian network which shows existing
and proposed bikeways and sidewalks and explained the task force recommendations for
facility routes and types included: community feedback, safety concerns on existing
roads, right of way width available, traffic speeds and volumes, owner/operator of
roadways, reconstruction or repaving project schedules, and the cost of facility
construction and maintenance. Segelbaum asked if staff and the task force looked at
other cities to see how it compared to their bicycle and pedestrian networks. Goellner said
yes, they looked at several other cities' plans and that Staff and the task force also looked
at the age of Golden Valley's infrastructure. She added that the number of routes
proposed is similar to other communities.
Kluchka asked if this network supports the downtown west circulation concept. Goellner
referred to the network map and stated that there are some existing sidewalks in that
area, but the proposed network map adds some connections to the Luce Line trail. She
added that this plan will hopefully create more human activity and less vehicle traffic in
this area.
Waldhauser asked if the regional multi-use trail shown as a purple dashed line on the
map is an active railway. Goellner said yes, and added that it could look like the
Kenilworth corridor in southwest Minneapolis where there is active rail with a trail next to
it. Baker asked about the owner of that railway. Goellner said she thinks CP Rail owns it.
Baker asked if the City talked to CP about this proposed trail. Zimmerman said he doesn't
think so, but staff wanted to identify it on the network map as a potential north/south trail.
Baker said he doesn't want to only go after the "low hanging fruit" with this Comp Plan
update and he would hate to overlook something just because it might be hard to
address.
Blum referred to the signed bike routes and asked if there will be any changes with the
pavement or anything else besides signs. Goellner said there has been discussion about
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July 10, 2017
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stenciling the pavement but those costs can get high and they aren't visible in the winter
so the recommendation is to stick with signs for now. Baker said he hopes stenciling is
reconsidered in the future. Kluchka agreed and said stencils make bikers feel safer so the
City might want to reconsider stenciling the street over installing signs. Waldhauser said it
also helps drivers be more aware of where bikers might be. Blum noted that bicycle
signage is recommended on every block and suggested that they might not be necessary
on every block on the lower volume routes. Kotila said the value of signed bike routes
would be greatest when the other more permanent facilities are in place and become
connections between other established routes. Kluchka said he feels the Commissioners'
comments were negated. He said the comments were to make sure there are more
markings on the street and not signs in order to make bicyclists and drivers more
comfortable and to have less visual impact on the neighborhoods they are in. He said he
doesn't want to hear a justification for signage, he wants the Commissioners comments to
be validated.
Blum asked how the City coordinates with the County on the proposed changes or ideas
the City has and at what point the City lets residents know, and how residents stay a part
of the process. Kotila said the County works with City staff to implement projects they do
in the City.
Kluchka asked if there is something in the transportation plan that discusses the type of
traffic such as truck traffic, etc. He asked what level of drone flight delivery system
management the City needs to be considering. Kotila said drone flight delivery is evolving
quickly and there is nothing defined in the plan at this point to manage drone flight. He
added that freight movement is something that is considered in the Comp Plan.
Segelbaum referred to the bike and pedestrian network map asked how changes to the
sidewalk plan came about versus the changes to the bike routes. Goellner stated that
there are a lot of existing sidewalks on busier roads so the focus was on adding sidewalks
where necessary to other roads that don't currently have them.
Waldhauser asked if there was any consideration given to public accesses through
commercial districts and parking lots and how pedestrians navigate through those sites.
Goellner said staff focuses on that more with new developments.
Kluchka referred to goal two, objective four and noted that it says "identify system
deficiencies" and asked how system deficiencies is defined. Kotila explained that a
system deficiency might be the capacity of the roadway being deficient, or a safety
deficiency where corrective action is necessary.
Kluchka said he noted that several people at the open house talked about speeding being
an issue in their neighborhood and asked if there has been any thought to offering an
incentive to people who report speeding. Kotila said he is not aware of a tool that would
allow citizens to accurately report speeding. Blum said Commissioner Kluchka's idea is a
good way to help with code enforcement in general.
Baker opened the meeting to public comments.
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July 10, 2017
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Dawn Hill, 2000 Kelly Drive, asked about the "un-use" of stop signs and said that 10 or 15
years ago there was discussion about taking some stop signs out along Olympia so cars
don't stack up. She said she thinks it is a good idea to consider where it is appropriate to
have stop signs and where it isn't so that they are more meaningful.
Wendy Rubinyi, 1325 Maryland Avenue North, said the Comprehensive Plan means
something the City wants to have that is ideal and a vision to improve the community as a
whole. She said the details are important but the bigger vision is missing from the Comp
Plan. She questioned how to get people to the City's commercial areas and asked where
the crossings are on Highway 55 which is a huge blockade. She suggested greenways
across Highway 55 in order to make Golden Valley a destination rather than a pass-
through. She said Golden Valley needs to be seen as destination and a community to
stay in, do business in, and live in.
Billy Binder, 2700 Major Avenue North, said Hennepin County changed Winnetka Avenue
from a four lane road to a three lane road which will cut accidents by 50% according to
the County. Also, the three lane road made room for bike lanes. He said Winnetka would
be even safer if signs were put up. He said the City turned down free bike lane street
signs from Hennepin County because of maintenance and aesthetic reasons which
doesn't make sense to him. He said the Harrison community has voted to eliminate
parking on the north side of Glenwood from Xerxes to Aldrich to enable the County to put
in bike lanes. He agreed that the City can do better with its bike plan and we should be a
leader not a follower. He added that he would like the bike plan to have a visionary
narrative, he would like it to be a free standing document, and he would like an active,
motivated citizen group to implement it.
lan Black, 924 Adeline Lane North, referred to the discussion about bike signs and said in
his experience signs are usually ignored by cars so the situation is dangerous for bikers.
He stated that if the City really wants to improve bike paths there needs to be increased
spacing or a divider between bikes and cars.
Shelley Maasch, 5011 Circle Down, said she would like an educational program
implemented about who has the right of way when a person is walking on a sidewalk.
Seeing and hearing no one else wishing to comment, Baker closed the public comment
period.
Baker asked Kotila to address the question about modifying the use of stop signs. Kotila
explained that the current practice is to review complaints and traffic control issues in a
uniform way at the City's traffic committee meetings.
Kluchka asked how to increase the priority of north/south trail connections in the Comp
Plan. Kotila said there is an implementation tool exercise that will be a work task for staff.
Kluchka asked about improving access in commercial areas in the bike and pedestrian
plan. Kotila said staff is addressing that in a small area plan approach as development
occurs.
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July 10, 2017
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Baker said Golden Valley is a big bicycling city and that the City should really be doing
more regarding the construction of dedicated bike lanes.
Waldhauser referred to the comments in the agenda materials about the interest in giving
all residents different ways of navigating the City with emphasis on the growing senior
population, disabled individuals, and children. She stated that she does not like sidewalks
that go right up to the curb and that is predominately what Golden Valley has. She said
she would like to see more emphasis on what the City can do to make sidewalks more
safe and comfortable to use. She added that she would also like to see more done with
transit or shuttles to help people who need it make short trips, etc. Kotila said the transit
section of the transportation section of the Comp Plan addresses those types of issues.
Blum asked what justifies separating the sidewalks from the edge of curb with trees or
landscaping. He said added trees would help mitigate the amount of impervious surface
and questioned if there could be a goal that would help make tree lined streets a
possibility.
Baker said there is a potential connection between the transportation chapter of the Comp
Plan and the chapter that includes waste management and the way the City allows trash
haulers to use the streets. He said it is a transportation issue as much as it is a waste
management issue so he would like to see organized hauling in the transportation
chapter.
Baker referred to the periodic updating of traffic signal phasing and timing and asked how
periodically that updating occurs. Kotila stated that sometimes it takes a major change in
land use or traffic patterns before change occurs. He said there is regular maintenance
that occurs on the signal system and suggested that timing and phasing be part of that
regular review. Kluchka asked the rules regarding traffic signals could be made public.
Kotila said yes.
The meeting adjourned at 7:54 pm.
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John chka, Secretary Lisa ittman, Administrative Assistant