8.d Engineering Updates 6-18-19
City of Scandia
Engineering Updates 6/18/2019
Engineering italics = old information
• Comprehensive Plan Update
We had multiple calls with Met Council staff to discuss their comments and information
requirements. Supplemental material was formally submitted to the Met Council on May 13, 2019.
Once the plan has been determined to be complete, it will proceed through the Met Council
committee process. The status of the plan can be tracked on the Scandia Community Page on the
Met Council website at
https://lphonline.metc.state.mn.us/CommPage?ctu=2396548&applicant=Scandia
The Met Council is still struggling with the language we have surrounding the sewer
extension, the Bliss System, and the Rural Mixed Use area west of Big Marine Lake. Thus
we have scheduled an additional meeting on June 19th discuss further.
• 2018 Street Project
Weekly/current construction updates are posted on the City’s website, link is: “2018 Street
Improvements Projects”
Record plans have been completed and final copies submitted to Public Works.
Punch list work resumes and areas where seed mixture has not been established
were reviewed on June 13th again.
• Miscellaneous
Gateway State Trail Extension
• Specific Property owner meetings have been held on 10/31/18 and 11/14/18, ongoing
coordination has continued to occur.
• All wetland & preliminary field survey work has been completed including completion of the
wetland delineation report. TEP meeting was held on 11/30/18.
• Attended a Technical Design meeting with the DNR & City Staff on 12/19/18 to discuss
project constraints along CR 52, thus a meeting with the County has been scheduled for
1/11/2019 to presents options.
• Public Open House held on March 19, 2019 was well attended and a lot of support for the
project was shown. Inquires of concerns were addressed by the DNR along with a lot of
long-term planning questions were received.
• DNR, Washington County, Design Staff met on April 9, 2019 to discuss what Washington
County will require where the proposed trail runs adjacent to County Road 52. These
requirements will be a significant amount of work scope change so we need work through
with the DNR on who will be completing what tasks prior to proceeding.
• First draft of final plans and specifications were sent to DNR for comments
on Monday June 10, 2019.
Bliss Addition Stormwater Planning
• Includes 190th Street N, 189th Street N, Layton Ave and Larksupur Ave N circle area.
• Public Outreach meeting being held at City Hall with the adjacent property owners prior to
the City Council meeting, on April 16, 2019, from 5:30pm – 6:30pm.
• Topographic survey is now complete. The Water Resources group will begin
developing an existing conditions hydraulic model based on survey
information. Flood mitigation and water quality improvements will be
preliminarily designed and options will be presented in a report. The plan
will serve as a framework that will best align improvement projects with
grant funding in partnership with Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed
District.
Bliss Drainfield System
• Been working on gathering information and will start to review results so the Nitrogen
Mitigation Plan can be prepared for MPCA approval within on year of permit issuance.
• Waiting to hear results of discussion between the City and MPCA about the possibility of
drilling a new monitoring well to replace GW004. The nitrogen memo and application
renewal of the permit is due 180 days prior to the permit expiration which is September
2019, existing permit expiration date is in February 2020.
• Currently analyzing Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMR) data from the past
10+ years to see if we can isolate where the issue starts.
• Will be recommending some additional nitrogen testing be done before and
after the sand filters (in Lift Stations 3 and 4) for at least a few weeks.
Bliss Control Panels
• Quote package is in the process of being prepared, however waiting to obtain some field
information prior to finishing. Also looking into the costs to complete a radio SCADA
telemetry study, once costs are estimated separate discussion will be held with the City.
• Field information has been obtained and now working on marking up
layouts and then layouts will be coordinated with the electrical engineer to
finalize plans sheets and specifications.
• Have obtained some cost estimates on the telemetry study that will be
shared with Public Works to determine next steps if the study is to move
forward.
Community Water Study (Fire Station Area)
• Just recently received the go-ahead, future updates will include more details.
• Information has been requested from the City that is related to the existing well, gathering
that information for review.
• Received information from the City on their existing infrastructure (wells,
tanks, etc. at the Fire Hall) and getting into analysis with the water supply
side of the study.
Capital Improvement Plan
• Completed a road tour with Public Works on March 29, 2019 to review roadways for
consideration for the planned 2020 Street Improvement Project. Process of preparing cost
estimates of road segment candidates for future discussions at Capital Improvement
Committee Meetings.
• Attended the May 15, 2019 Capital Improvement Plan Committee and presented 5-year
road improvement plan and provided updates/information for both the Bliss System and the
Anderson-Erickson System.
• Prepared additional information for the June 13, 2019, Capital Improvement
Plan Committee that included cost estimates for all the roads currently rated
5-6 on the PASER Road Rating map.
Legislature Updates
• Legislature and Governor agree on status quo transportation funding
packaged. No Small Cities Assistance Account or gas tax increase.
• Tax bill restores 2002 LGA levels and includes several other provisions that
affect cities.
• Broadband funding approved includes $40 million for grants. The funding
means that for the first time since 2017, the 120 cities considered unserved
and many cities considered underserved will have the opportunity to benefit
from state resources to expand broadband access. The grants awarded
through the Office of Broadband Development via a competitive process can
provide up to 50 percent of a project’s infrastructure costs. Costs covered by
the grant include those associated with project planning, permits,
construction plant and labor, installation, and engineering. The application
period will be announced once the bill is signed by the governor and usually
runs from July through September.
• Cities will be able to apply for grants for planning, tree removal, and tree
replacement related to emerald ash borer infestations on public property.