CMAL Observer Reports

Called to order by Lee Pao Xiong, Chair.

Action Items:

1. Results of the public hearing and adoption of the LCA Housing Goals for new participants in livable communities in 2002 received no comments.

2. City of Corcoran Comprehensive Plan Update.  The city is not currently served by a regional wastewater treatment facility.  The City Council recently studied wastewater treatment options.  Corcoran will have to work with Medina to provide wastewater service to the SW corridor.  Most of the city is designated rural and the city formed a committee to do a Natural Resources Inventory (NRI).  Environmentally sensitive areas have been identified and development will be carefully planned to preserve such areas.  The Met Council Committee members seemed immensely impressed with this NRI.  The Corcoran group gave special thanks to Council member Sandra Spignor for her help in formulating this inventory and to the Met Council for an $18,000 grant to help fund it.  The committee voted unanimously to adopt the City of Corcoran Comprehensive Plan.

3. City of Jordan Planning Assistance Loan.  Loan in the amount of $39,500 was approved.

The final bit of business was information on a 2000 Census Housing Snapshot.  The final version will be a snapshot of housing in the Metro Region, citing statistics that will "provide a glimpse into the types and costs of structures that residents call home and the human characteristics and budgets that drive housing demand in the Twin Cities."  It seems to me this document will be enormously useful to municipalities for planning purposes and to groups whose focus is on housing.

Chair:

Council Members:

Arriving slightly late, due to very heavy traffic on I-94, I got a seat in the back.  While I couldn't see everything - I think about five Council members were missing - I heard all the discussion.  In summary, it was a short meeting (only about 1 and 1/4 hours), but very interesting and full of great nuggets of information.

Transportation Committee:  Review and Approval of metropolitan Airports Commission Capital Improvements Program (CIP was given a two week extension due to additional problems which have been identified (waste water, noise, flight safety issues).  Park Nicollet Health Services was awarded the contract to provide Drug and Alcohol Testing Services for those employees requiring testing.

Other Business:  Members of the Regional Mayor's Housing Task Force were appointed.  They include newly elected Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly.  The task force provides leadership as a regional housing coalition.  The addition of Randy Kelly was welcomed since former Mayor Coleman was not a member of the task force.  The group will meet 4-5 times during 2002 and will prepare recommendations to be implemented at local, regional, state or national levels.  Its first meeting follows this Metropolitan Council meeting.  W. Peter Enck, New Hope, and Joy Tierney, Plymouth, were designated co-chairs.

Report of the Chair:  The Legislature's passage of the budget-balancing bill will result in $ 23 million in cuts to Metro Transit, necessitating layoffs, route eliminations and impact on bus garage construction.  Mr. Mondale called this "irresponsible".  The funding for the Riverview Busway Corridor in St. Paul was eliminated.

Spring workshops will be held in communities with rural areas  (Dakota/Washington, Anoka/Hennepin, and Carver/Scott) to discuss rural issues.

The Chair encouraged Council Members to continue to visit their local governments.

All items on the Consent List and Action Items list were approved.  An additional item was the report on progress of a Bonding Bill before the legislature.

Other items were held over until the next meeting.  A Virtual Tour of the Airport System provided information about the whole system of metro area airports, current and projected uses, expansion plans, issues to be considered (noise, conflicting flight paths, water quality, residential development, etc.)

MSP will continue as the major airport, with expansion including the LRT station and tunnel, a new air cargo area, expanded runways, a de-icing pad away from the gates and closer to the runways (for immediate take-offs after de-icing), and new holding ponds for storm run-off.  Holman Field in St. Paul is the major reliever airport, though currently decommissioned for security considerations.  Parts of Anoka County Airport are being given over to Highway 10 andf a golf course, and its north-south runway is being moved.  Comparable evaluations were presented regarding Crystal, Flying Cloud, Lake, Elmo, South St. Paul, and Lakeville airports, and the Forest Lake airstrip.  The effects of urban sprawl need to be examined in connection with airport plans.  The future of the Humphrey Terminal was mentioned, as were second tier airports such as Duluth, Eau Claire, and Rochester.

NOTE:  The observer felt this might make an interesting program for CMAL.  Presentation was made by Chauncey Case, Senior Planner, Transportation Services Department, Metro Council, 651-602-1724.

All Committee members appeared to be present -- it was hard to see their name plates.  The room was full.  Discussion was open, between presenter, Metro Council members, and the public, which included local government representatives and interested citizens.  The draft Rural Area Policy and Rural Area Policy Implementation Proposals under discussion are being developed by a consultant team working with Council staff following public meetings in the region's rural areas this last summer.  Background information was available and the diagram of the hierarchy of rural development, which I requested, was sent in a day's time.  The work of the Work Group will be included in the Blueprint 2030.  The work group meets every other week just before the Metropolitan Council meetings.

The meeting was live, with questions and discussion about rural policies and how best to protect permanent agricultural lands.  The Green Edge Option vs. the permanent agriculture option were discussed along with their financial implications.  How to implement protection, what financial incentives need to be used, should development rights be purchased, should there be a large lump sum or smaller on-going payments, should there be flat payment per acre of land or on the value of land?  These were but some of the issues discussed.  Natural Resource Inventories (MRI) are being worked on by the Metro Council, U of MN, and DNR with local government input so that wetlands, woods, and natural amenities would be preserved.  One Council Member wanted to go to the legislature this session for money to begin buying development rights.  Although the Metro Council's legislative requests were begun months ago and have been finalized, there was some indication that an effort might be made to reopen that process and see if legislation could be advanced this session.

All Council members were present except Rodriguez.  New Regional Administrator lee Sheehy was introduced.  All Committee and General Consent List items were approved without discussion, including amendments and updates of Anoka county and Plymouth Comprehensive Plans.  The Regional Administrator is authorized to enter into a labor contract with Law Enforcement Labor Sers (LELS).  The Council also approved amending the 2025 Transitways Map to reflect corridor changes due to legislation or studies completed since the Transportation Policy Plan was adopted in January, 2001:  Southwest/Midtown/Kenilworth Corridor (from busway to technology unspecified); Cedar Ave. (from LRT extension to busway); Dan Patch Commuter Rail (completion postponed); Riverview Corridor Busway (extended to Maplewood Mall); and I494 Corridor (add as a busway).  Riverview Corridor bus exterior designs were approved.  It was noted that by law, Metro Council (as operator of the transit system) should have its name on the buses.  Chairman Mondale urged they be tasteful but inexpensive.

Other business:  An update about the Metro Council website.  Logons increased 49% in 2001; On-line bus pass purchases increased 163%; bus schedules, the trip planner, and the virtual tour of the wastewater treatment plant are the most popular.  Directions newsletter on-line gets information out in days versus bimonthly.  The State of the Region on-line forum had 600 posts in 20 days - 83% thought participation increased their understanding of issues.  Chairman Mondale, citing Governing Magazine's ranking of Minnesota falling behind in e-government, wanted monthly statistics on website use rather than an annual report.

NOTE:  Regional Growth Policy Committee, which deals with Blueprint 2030, meets on alternate weeks with the Metro Council - at the MN Housing Finance Agency Conference Room, Park Square Court, 400 Sibley St. from 3 to 6 o'clock p.m.  (This is across Mears Park from the Council's offices.)  Workshop sessions will continue thru May - then drafting will begin at meetings held in the Metro Council Conference Room 1A-B from June until August.  Public hearings occur September Thru November, and finally the Council will adopt a plan at the December 18 meeting.

The Metro Council made presentations to the Commission.  First, Chairman Mondale described the need for planning, the forecasts which predicted needs in housing and transportation, the gap between comprehensive plans and projected growth of population, the need for 36 miles of new parking, and the prediction of gridlock in 20 years.  He stressed the philosophy that Metro Council's function is to help local governments plan better - a shift from a more arbitrary position in the past.  Its wastewater treatment plant operations have moved up from 35th to being in the top 10 in the nation.

The financial picture was presented by Beth Widstrom-Anderson, head of Finance and Administration.  This was an area of intense interest to the Commission members.  Questions were raised about how much money is spent on lobbying and consultant fees.  Couldn't Metro Council spend less by using local planning already done?  Is there duplication with MNDOT?  While Senator Ann Rest tried to move the meeting on to the rest of the presentation, Commission members were raising issues of concern to their areas, such as - if a city wants to stop growth, can't it do it if there isn't transportation in place for that growth?  Another felt cities think they are doing the right thing for their community and that the Metropolitan Council is disruptive with its dictatorial mandates.

The meeting ended without the full financial presentation.  Senator Rest announced the Commission by statute is to have quarterly meetings and that she will have another meeting during the session which was set at this time.

Background:  New Laws 2001 - a Complete Summary of the Regular Legislative Session and Special Session put out by the MN House of Representatives Public Information Office and the Senate publications Office (page 40) states:

The 2001 State of the Region Meeting was very appropriately held in a location that demonstrated how aging areas are being redeveloped using the "smart growth" concept.  In its previous life, the Woodland Hills Church in Maplewood had been a K-Mart.  Displays of projects funded by the Met Council filled the entrance.

The meeting started with a welcome from Maplewood Mayor Bob Cardinal.  Governor Ventura followed, praising the progress being made on tough regional issues by Ted Mondale and the Met Council.  The emphasis on redeveloping older, deteriorating areas is the "smart thing to do" because the infrastructure is already there.  While he originally wanted the Met Council abolished, he now feels that the "new" Council is a partner with the communities in the Twin City area.

Ted Mondale started by recalling his visit with Curt Johnson when he was first appointed to lead the Met Council.  Johnson told him that "without the support of the Governor, we've gone as far as we can go." Mondale is appreciative that the Governor has backed the Met Council during the past three years in setting regional direction that local elected officials may not be in a position to do.

Mondale touched on what the region was like ten years, when signs of growth were just appearing but solutions were not.  Since then, we are beginning to make progress with the clean up of polluted land, suburbs recognizing the need for affordable housing, and the beginning of construction of a light rail line.

To meet the demands of the future, the Met Council has three policy goals for the coming year: a new regional growth strategy that balances investments in roads and transit, and organizes housing, shopping and jobs around transportation; the completion of the Natural Resources Inventory to determine what resources to protect; and the development of the Blueprint 2030 with citizen input to plan both short and long term strategies to meet the challenges of the future.

Following Mondale's presentation, a panel of Mayors and other community representatives talked about the projects they have been working on.  All solicited input from residents.

The full text of the State of the Region can be found on the Met Council's web site at www.metrocouncil.org/.

Members Present: Dave Engstrom, Chair; Dave Herbold, Charlotte Brooker, Barbara Schmidt, Robert Wicklund, Joan Lawless, Ardis Wexler; James Nelson, Metropolitan Council Liaison to the Commission

Chairman Engstrom called the Meeting to order at 4 P.M.

The meeting was open, the process was clear, I could see the overheads and hear most of the discussion.  I received the agenda, minutes, and staff recommendation on issue at hand, as did Commission members.

The minutes of September 24 were approved.  The Council then considered a Dakota County request for Spring Lake Park Land Acquisition.

Presentation was made by Arne Stefferud, Planning Analyst - Parks, who recommended approval of request.  The request was approved.

Staff then presented and described a new map of Hennepin County Regional Parks, of which Commission members were quite laudatory.  The date for the next Commission meeting was set for November 26, to discuss the Minneapolis plan for Mississippi River upriver, from Plymouth Bridge to North Minneapolis.

Staff reported that they expect a Department of Finance report on environmental cluster agencies and a set of bonding recommendations, on November 1.

The meeting adjourned at 4:45 P.M.

A copy of the Agenda was received as the report, with brief notes.

The meeting was attended by 17 members, with Ted Mondale as chair.

In the Public Invitation section of the meeting, Union members were present, and gave an 8 minute address.

Under Business, the Committee Consent List contained the Lake Waconia Regional Park Master Plan Review, Referral 18613-1, and the Empire Township Comprehensive Sewer Plan.

The General Consent List contained the 2000 Metropolitan Agricultural Preserves Program Report, and the City of Roseville Plan Amendment, Twin Lakes Business Park, Referral 16954-6.

Comment:  "As usual, it was very difficult to hear and we missed some of the minor items they voted on, but we could see the overheads, and background information was available."

The Transportation Committee reported on Approval of 2002-2003 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) and Resolution Authorizing the Filing of a Grant Application.

The Livable Communities Committee had Consent List items only.

The Environment Committee reported on Authorization to Negotiate Land Purchase Agreement for Future Hastings Wastewater Treatment Plant Site, and Authorization to Apply for Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) Demonstration Grant:  Resolution No. 2001-_____.  (This item was acted on by the Council and Committee in the same week.)

The Rail Transit Committee reported on South Cedar Avenue Improvements Adjacent Hiawatha Yard and Shops, and 34th Avenue South Hiawatha LRT Improvements.

The Rural Issues Work Group reported on Aggregate Resources Management Recommendations.

Under Other Business the Council considered the St. Anthony Opportunity Site:  Northwest Quadrant Redevelopment Plan, the Approval of Legislative Agenda, an Update on Preliminary Bonding Request, and Appointments to the Transportation Advisory Board.

"Comment:  The main item for the day was the St. Anthony Smart Growth Plan."

The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

Focus of the work group is to develop rural policy and look into policies for aggregate mining in the region.  The Group will study issues for a couple of months before formulating a policy.  Speakers from PCA and DNR described what their roles are in regard to a possible negative environmental effect if mining is expanded.

PCA - issues the federal and state permits related to discharges.  They have concerns about surface water quality in terms of erosion control, pit de-watering pumping (which can cause sedimentation), and rock washing operations.  Reclamation issues of old pits are usually under local government.

DNR permit programs relate to water appropriation of over 10,000 gallons per day.  It requires monitoring wells when there is de-watering involved, to check for water levels.  Domestic water supply has the highest priority.  The Environmental Quality Board requires an EAW if 40 acres are involved, and an EIS is required for over 160 acres.

The observer suggests that someone on the board receive the agenda for this Work Group, and perhaps alert observers to attend these meetings to keep tabs on developments.  The secretary is Jan Gustafson, 651-602-6068.  The group meets 1st and 3rd Wednesday, usually at 1:00 p.m. just before the Metro Council meeting at 3:00 p.m.

The bulk of the meeting was focused on the 2002 Regional Blueprint Update/Revision.  Throughout, there was reference to this Chair and Council being activist, and that there has been a "sea change" in how the Council functions and views their role.  The Council is pulling systems together in ways it has never done before, looking at how systems affect other systems, finding linkages and aligning policies, working more closely with communities.  It is trying to engage the public more, linking affordable housing with other systems, land use with transportation, and considering how to protect natural resources.

MUSA is now part of several strategies to curb sprawl, including corridors, nodes, and hubs.  The task ahead includes revising forecasts for 2000-2003; developing the concept of nodes, corridors and hubs; working on the urban reserve and rural and agricultural policies, redevelopment policies, fiscal policy, opportunities and constraints concerning natural resources and the rivers, and relationships with adjacent counties.

Mr. Mondale spoke concerning his concerns that the Council is a regional leader, but hasn't a game plan for the future.   He is committed to seeing that the new Blueprint gets done by the end of next year.

The observer noted a Metro Mobility Legislative Study Report that was presented during the meeting - "This 34 page report would be of interest to someone following Metro Mobility Issues."  She also thinks CMAL should very actively follow the Blueprint Update/Revision.

Mr. Mondale drew attention to the observer (even though in the last row and to the side) and said groups like League were an example of needed to be kept informed.  We are noticed.

Toward the end of the agenda, two discussions relating to housing were held.  One was on the "Guidelines" by which housing performance by municipalities is evaluated.  Through dialogue at two public meetings in December, various changes were suggested in the draft scoring system for ranking cities and counties in the region.  This score is to be used to make funding decisions in transportation, environmental measures and other investments in each municipality and county.

On February 5 the Livable Communities Committee will recommend a public hearing document for approval by the Metro Council on February 14.  On March 21 a public hearing will occur at the Metro Council meeting.  On April 4 the public hearing record closes.

The second discussion involved housing policy and Federal transportation funds.  At the two public meetings in December a proposed use of the Guidelines criteria to prioritize funding decisions was discussed.  There was a wide spectrum of reaction, from strong support to total opposition.  On January 17, the Transportation Advisory Board's Programming Committee considered three  alternatives for use of housing performance in evaluation of TEA-21 (federal money) funding:

1. use the housing performance score as proposed,
2. develop a new funding category within the transportation solicitation process to support compact development in transportation corridors, or
3. not use the point system in transportation funding and instead set aside a substantial portion of available TEA-21 funds for transit or transportation activities that support affordable housing as a part of a local Smart Growth initiative.  This could begin as a separate demonstration program.

Metro Council discussed the planning and revision process and the suggested new approaches to alignment of policy with TEA-21 funding.  There is an urgency because the federal transportation applications for 2001 begin very soon.

There was no Consent List to be considered.  Action Items all dealt with Transit concerns, and all were approved.

The information section included information for the council for issues which will be acted on in the future, including:

• The Quarterly Ridership Report,
• The FY2001 Budget Balancing Plan
• A Fare Adjustment Overview, Route Evaluation, and
• The 2001-78 Northstar Corridor Bus Service Proposal.

Presenters made a clear connection between a project and its relation to Metro Council or department goals.

Management Committee:

Metropolitan Council - Public Invitation (Part IV) Resolutions:

Consent List

Report of Transportation Committee:

1. Adoption of Transportation Policy Plan for Public Hearing Purposes (Complete plan will be forwarded under separate cover), and
2. Van Pool Agreement with Van Pool Services, Inc., DELAYED.

Report of the Management Committee:

Policy Committee regarding the Transportation Policy Plan update - at November 11 meeting will take final look at plan before public hearing on November 24.  Before November 20 there will be 4 open houses.

Programming Committee regarding the Regional TEA-21 Solicitation Criteria - the ultimate aim is to link all parts -affordable housing, transportation, and land use.  The recommendations from the Livable Communities Committee will be sent to communities for public input,

Chair's report concerning the proposed change in the ATP project selection process.  This includes the involvement of Chisago City.  The proposal was approved.

Special Agenda

Aviation Policy Plan Update 2000-2020:  This update includes consideration of land use compatibility, safety issues, noise, general aviation, system performance, and ways to measure achievement goals. The Aviation Board wants to join with communities in developing criteria, but communities are reluctant because of liability issues.

Metropolitan Council: - Public Invitation (Part IV) Presentation of Minnesota Great Award.

Consent List (Part V-A) all approved

1. Authorization of sole source procurement of fine pore aeration system components for Metropolitan Wastewater Treatment Plant (MWWTP),
2. Authorization to negotiate and award a Professional Services Agreement for the MWWTP,
3. Family Affordable Housing Program, resolution to purchase property, and
4. Livable Communities Act Inclusionary Housing Account funding recommendations

Homeownership Program - Management Committee Report items adopted or approved

1. Review and Approval of Gainsharing Proposal 02006,

2. Approval of the hiring of a new General Counsel, and

3. 2000 Unified Operating Budget amendment, 4th quarter amendment.

Other Business

Report from Council Members

Arlene Mosler from Cannon Falls (and a League member) gave a presentation about industrial "progress" and its effect on natural resources.  Her buzzword was sustainability, a state defined by a set of conditions that keep resources for the future.  Mines are being proposed which will affect the water in Dakota County (the mines are for gravel). 80-90% of wetlands in Dakota County are already drained and future use will assure that it will be used more heavily in the future.  2,000 to 3,000 acres per year during the '90s were changed from agriculture to suburban.  Highway changes will be necessary to accommodate gravel trucks.  Arlene contends that permitting the mines to come into the community will have a serious impact on ground water and other natural resources.  She asked the committee to study all angles of the project so that the impact of the mines will be minimal.  This committee plans to study the issue further before making a decision about whether such a mine can be dug in Dakota County.

At the point of "Other Business" the council informally discussed Smart Growth.  The Council says they need to educate the public about their purposes.  Council members expressed concern about housing being developed beyond the reach of water and sewer.  They discussed zoning, and what land is available for builders.  Communities need to build more affordable housing for their growing population.  The Council needs to explain why housing needs to be controlled.  Metropolitan Council policies are needed to increase density and decrease sprawl.

The average times haven't changed much with meters off.  Does metering encourage sprawl?  The longer the distance traveled, the more favorable people are to meters.  A person can be stuck at meters - if they are on the highway, a choice can be made to take another route.

The hearing involved budget presentations by Metropolitan Council and Metropolitan Mosquito Control District.  Each presentation involved slides with explanation concerning the budget.  Metro Council was first, followed by a question/comment period.  Only two people had questions - one asking why the property tax will be raised again in light of the state surplus (answer: Met Council not directly affected by the state surplus) and the second asking why Met Council budget isn't a line item in the state budget (answer: The Council's major expense is to fund transportation, and a significant part of that comes from property tax.  Metro residents use that transportation so have to help fund it.)

The Council didn't have a quorum, so the meeting was cancelled after a half-hour.  During that time, the four Community Relations specialists were introduced.  They will function somewhat like legislative aides - mainly to help Council members keep in touch with their constituents.  Saundra Spigner from Plymouth League introduced Ms. Vik to Jay Lindgren, the Regional Administrator.  They value our interest.  Handouts were available from Livable Communities Committee proposing that the committee conduct a public hearing on negotiated affordable and life-cycle housing goals for two communities - Hugo and Mahtomedi -beginning participation in the LCA Local Housing Incentive Program for 2001.  Handouts were also available from the Transportation Committee regarding the authorization of the Regional Administrator to negotiate and execute transit assistance agreements with transit service providers.  Funding tables were included for most of the providers involved.