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09.g Staff Report - City Administrator1 Staff Report Date of Meeting: January 16, 2024, City Council Meeting To: Mayor and City Council From: Kyle Morell, City Administrator Re: City Administrator Report ______________________________________________________________________________ Gateway Trail Project City Engineer Ryan Goodman and I met with Nathan Moe and Kent Skaar from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on Monday, July 10, 2023. We discussed the next steps in the work plan, including the environmental review, soil borings, and topographical survey. Ryan and the DNR are working to complete these items before the end of the year. This group plans to meet monthly to ensure the project stays on schedule. Kent explained that the LCCMR funding has a hard deadline of June 30, 2027. All spending must be completed before that date. The City plans for 2026 construction to complete the project before the grant funding disappears. Our DNR Grant Administrator has also contacted me. LCCMR administers the project. The funding comes from the DNR. The Fiscal Agent Agreement has been approved and signed by all parties involved. The City has a grant for funding through the DNR for this project. There is approximately $25,000 left on the grant, which will cover the cost of upcoming soil borings. Our next update meeting is scheduled for January 16. I may have additional information from that meeting for you at the Council meeting. Water Tower Barn Project The Scandia Heritage Alliance is working to construct part of the old water tower barn to apply for historic tax credits and a place on the National Register of Historic Places. Additionally, they will need to create a for-profit entity to allow for qualification for historic tax credits. Council approved the construction of the east side of the barn and the formation of a “for-profit” entity at their Work Session on September 6. At our December meeting, the Alliance received Council approval to aid the City in applying for an LCCMR grant to help fund their project's parks and trails plan. The plan includes connecting trails from the Water Tower Barn parcel to the Community Center along Olinda Trail and through the City-owned wetland to connect to the Gateway Trail. They are 2 gathering information and estimates and should have information to update the Council in February. Contact has been made with the owners of Parcel 23.032.20.12.0008 about a possible easement. 192nd St Landing Below is an update from Tom Langer with the Carnelian Marine St. Croix Watershed regarding the 192nd St N. landing project. After an initial site inspection with Lori and Mike, we determined a need for an updated site survey of the area. We worked with EOR to extend their surveying effort for the Bliss addition project to include the 192nd road/ launch area. Once this is completed, Lori, Mike, and I will begin to outline a shoreline alteration site plan and share it with you when ready. I anticipate this work to be completed over the next few months. The Washington Conservation District is working on a plan for the area. This will incorporate drainage basins for stormwater runoff as part of the Bliss Stormwater Project. The Council should see the plan by Spring 2024. Scandia City Center Study The Consultant presented the Community Involvement Plan to the Council at their December Work Session. Staff updated contact information for the local businesses listed in the Plan. The consultant will be at Vinterfest to engage with the public and host a walking tour of the project area that morning. We are also in the process of scheduling a public listening meeting for late January or early February. The Consultant, County, and City will host a virtual meeting, allowing residents to join the meeting to discuss the project sometime this winter. Bliss Stormwater Project This is a Carnelian Marine St. Croix Watershed project to which the City partners. The project aims to improve stormwater collection within the Bliss neighborhood. The project will be bid out this winter for construction next summer. The City has pledged $160,000 towards this project. That money can be found in the 401 CIP fund. It was initially scheduled for 2023 construction but was delayed due to unlocated Xcel Energy lines in the project area. The project will be approved for bidding at their December 13 Board Meeting. The City Engineer has received, reviewed, and commented on the project’s 90% plans. Washington County Long Range Transportation Plan 3 Washington County is embarking on its first-ever Long-Range Transportation Planning. They are inviting other agencies to participate in an elected official work session to provide initial input to help set the framework for the plan moving forward. I will be the staff contact for this process. They also want to identify elected officials who want to participate in the upcoming work session on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Washington County Public Works North Shop, 11660 Myeron Rd. N., Stillwater, MN 55082. Are any Council members interested in attending this meeting and participating in this process? 196th St. N. Bioretention Basin 196th St N. is scheduled to be reconstructed as part of the 2024 Street Improvement Project. This road is located west of Maxwill Ave. N. on the east side of Big Marine Lake. The City, its engineers, and the Carnelian Marine St. Croix Watershed District have been working with the property owners to manage stormwater in the area better. The City owns an easement from 196 th St. to Big Marine Lake (shown in blue in the picture below). The Watershed and the City have discussed installing a bioretention basin for stormwater quality improvement on the City easement. The basin will be installed on the easement during the road project and fed by a new culvert under the road at the curve between 12160 and 12140. The watershed will install/amend infiltration soils and establish vegetation by seeding and planting appropriate vegetation. They also propose paying for half of the culvert and basin installation cost. The total cost of the project is $24,610. The City’s obligation would be $12,605.00. This agreement will be brought before the City Council when the Watershed approves it.