09.c Engineering Updates 6-21-2022
City of Scandia
Engineering Updates 6/21/2022
Engineering italics = old information
· 2022 Street Improvement Project (Melanie Trail N and 238th Street N)
City Council authorized Plans and Specifications for the 2022 Street Improvement Project at the June
15th City Council Meeting.
Staff met with Scandia Public Works on November 23rd to discuss scope of the project, as well as go
over any questions or concerns.
Received final Geotechnical report from AET December 2nd, 2021.
We plan to request Approval of Plans & Specifications/Authorize Ad for Bid at the January 18, 2022
Council Meeting.
Bid opening was completed on February 9, 2022 in which the City received 7 bids.
Project awarded to Asphalt Surface Technologies Corporation at 2/15/2022 City Council Meeting.
Wetland Delineation near cross culvert on south end of Melanie Trail N work started week of May 9.
Astech is anticipating a June start date. Preconstruction Meeting is scheduled for May 24, 2022,
10:00am.
Contracts have been executed.
Wetland delineation completed and submitted June 2, 2022.
· Wetland no loss permit approval for watershed and city improvements expected in
July.
Construction start date anticipated mid-August.
· Scandia Wastewater New User Connection Spec/Details
Draft specifications and some details for new user guiding the requirements for a new user
connection to one of Scandia’s sewer systems has been submitted to the City on April 13, 2022 for
review and comment.
· Bliss Drainfield System
Both the 2020 permit application for this system and the “final report” for nitrogen mitigation have
been completed and submitted to the MPCA. The memo which serves as a final report doesn’t
present final solutions for the nitrogen issue, but instead outlines the issues that have been found
and solved in this treatment system, as well as some additional testing that will now be
recommended to get a handle on the nitrogen, BOD, and TSS entering and leaving the facility. The
hope is to gain us a little more time from the MPCA before they mandate action. We’ll use this time
to perform the aforementioned testing and evaluate options for removing nitrogen at Bliss.
City received on February 22, 2021 a Pre-Public Notice Review of Draft Permit - Bliss Collector WWTP
(#MN0054119) that also included a statement of basis outlining any changes or new requirements to
the draft permit. This 30 day pre-public notice review period starts on February 22, 2021 and ends on
March 24, 2021. Once your pre-public notice review is complete the draft SDS permit will be placed
on public notice for 60 days.
· First thing that needs to be done is complete a Facility Evaluation Report within 180 days of
issuance of the new permit they requested. Based on the report, MPCA will then ask the City
to follow either Track 1 or Track 2. Track one is the new monitoring well. Track two is a
facility upgrade. There are a few other changes to the permit, they include some additional
monitoring required over this permit. Also, MPCA is requesting flow monitoring at WS 004,
WS 005 and WS 006. These are to each of the infiltration trenches. We are in the pre-public
draft notice stage where just the City received these draft documents and can
comment. We can review and suggest changes or modifications prior to March 24th.
· Current updates: Under track 1, the requirement to abandon GW 008 is included because
using this well for monitoring is problematic, since we have no information on the well’s
construction nor well boring records. Based on the limited information we do have, it is the
opinion of MPCA hydrologist, Steven Stark, that this well is too deep to be used as a
monitoring well and may be sampling a confined aquifer. All monitoring wells should be
sampling the surficial aquifer and have well screens that bisect the watertable.
· The justification for proposed timeline is sufficient and the new timeline will be incorporated
into the draft permit. Shown below (last page of this report) is a revised compliance
schedule. Flow monitoring requirements at WS 004, WS 005, and WS 006 will become
effective upon installation of the flow monitoring equipment. The permit will continue to
the 60-day Public Notice period.
The final permit has been issued. The assumption is that we’ll end up on Track 2, with required
system improvements due to the nitrate issue. Only thing that needs to take place in the next 6
months (February 28, 2022) is for new flow meters to be installed at the system, something we’ll
begin working on. At the one year mark (September 1, 2022), we’ll need to have a Facility Evaluation
Report drafted to summarize the system’s ability or inability to meet the nitrate limit.
· Sump Pump Inspection Program
2 homes/cabin remain to be inspected.
· Bliss Addition Stormwater Planning
Recent engagement with the Carnelian Marine St. Croix Watershed District resulted in the two bullet
points below:
· Cost responsibility - Who would take on what costs and how? Ideally the District would like
to participate with a Clean Water Fund Grant.
· Timeline - The District is working to complete the Subwatershed analysis for Big Marine
Lake. It will be complete by June 2021. Clean Water Fund Grants are awarded based on
how the score. Without a completed Subwatershed analysis for the entire lake and
application would score low. We planned to apply for a CWF grant in the fall of 2021 (after
the completion of the analysis). If the City would like to dedicate funding and move up the
timeline, they could request the CMSCWD Board of Managers consider funding a phase of
the project without a CWF grant. I do know that next year’s budget is tight with the state
required 10-year management plan update.
Temporary drainage improvements that included two options were presented at the August 5th City
Council Workshop that were intended to relieve drainage concerns at the property of 19123 Layton
Ave. Upon the discussion there seems to be separate opinions forming on both sides of the street of
what temporary solutions are favored but why the ultimate correction is not just completed in
conjunction with the storm sewer improvements identified in the neighborhood stormwater study.
On October 14, 2020 at the Watershed Board meeting, Board Managers approved $3,600 cost share
for option 1.
Watershed anticipates in 2021 they will apply for 2022-2025 Clean Water Funds to implement stage
1 and 2, but could potentially also apply for all three stages. It should also be noted it will be difficult
for the District to participate in just the directional pipe installation without the water quality BMPs
being installed in that area. City may want to consider adding water quality practices to this stage to
leverage more funds from District (with or without Clean Water Funds).
· Stage 1 – directional drilled pipe to re-route drainage to wetland
· Stage 2 – North Layton Ave bioinfiltration basin, concrete trench and enhanced ditch
improvements, west bioinfilration basins, and 189th culvert crossings and enhanced ditches.
Watershed has completed the evaluation of potential projects on Big Marine. The Subwatershed
Analysis is currently being prepared. Schedule still anticipates to be on track to apply for Clean Water
Funds in July 2021.
Meeting scheduled with City Staff and Watershed District to discuss Clean Water Fund Grant
Application on Thursday, July 22nd.
The CMSCWD has been notified a CWF grant award. The application was ranked 7th of 53
projects and will be awarded for a total of $272,400 for the installation of Bliss Addition
water quality practices identified in collaboration with the City of Scandia. I anticipate the
grant will be fully executed by May, 2022 and will expire on December 31, 2025. The
CMSCWD is planning to post an Engineering RFQ for plan development and construction
administration in March. The goal is to complete construction documents in December
2022 and put the project out to bid in January 2023 with substantial completion of
construction in 2023.
· CLFLWD & Scandia Staff Quarterly Meetings
Meeting held on October 19, 2020.
Meeting on February 9, 2021.
Meeting on May 11, 2021 covered the following topics:
· Permitting Update (Nick)
· Roadway Projects (Ken)
· Bone Lake projects status: SE wetland restorations, NE wetland restoration, agricultural
practices (Blayne)
· FY22 Clean Water Fund grant award – Moody Lake projects (Emily/Blayne)
· Greenway Corridor Planning & Parks Update (Nick)
· CMSCWD Management Plan (Mike Isensee)
· MnDOT/Washington County – Hwy 97 & Oakhill/CR 52
First initial contact/conference meeting with MnDOT to discuss issues and concerns with intersection
safety on October 13, 2020.
· This work has been completed; Signing – MnDOT will upgrade the size of all the fluorescent
yellow-green signs and add fluorescent yellow green tape to the sign structure (the post). At
the crossing itself MnDOT will be placing the enlarged signs back to back as to warn
motorist on approach of the crossing on Hwy 97. These additions will enhance the visibility
of the intersection.
· Striping - The school Xing pavement markings were completed with the last pavement
maintenance project, if City staff observes that these are worn out, please send in a request
to MnDOT and they will submit it to our pavement makings crew.
County Road 52/Oakhill
· City Council Workshop on June 2, 2021; Scandia City Council heard concerns residents who
live along Oakhill Road, east of the business area, where they have observed speeding traffic
and parking issues. One resident who lives at the site of the 30 mph zone remarked that the
majority of drivers do not slow their speed at all and race in and out of town, causing safety
concerns for the many pedestrians and bicyclists who share the road.
· Washington County has scheduled a meeting with City Staff on June 21, 2021 to discuss the
concerns brought forward to the City Council.
· Coincidentally the County has been communicating with the City Engineer to discuss Oakhill,
Highway 97, and Olinda Trail. We think this is a good time to have a conversation about
overall traffic flow, pedestrian connections, speeding, bike routing, school issues, etc. in the
“downtown” Scandia area and potentially start to develop a joint strategic plan for this
entire area – including engaging MnDOT about improvements to highway 97.
· Washington County Projects
County Highway 3 (Olinda Trail)
· Construction begins summer 2022.
· Location - Olinda Trail (County Highway 3) from 170th Street (County Highway 4) to
Old Marine Trail. Proposed Improvements – replace pavement full depth, increase
road and shoulder pavement thickness, culvert cleaning and driveway culvert
replacements, new signing and striping, driveways will be tapered with gravel to
provide access to and from the roadway.
· Schedule – August 2022 to September 2022 anticipated.
County Highway 15 (Manning Avenue) Pavement Improvement Project
· Construction begins summer 2022.
· Location – from Lynch Road to 240th Street N (County line). Proposed
Improvements – cold in place recycle of existing pavement, increase road and
shoulder pavement thickness, widening of turn lanes, culvert cleaning and
driveway culvert replacements, new signing and striping, replace mailboxes,
improve drainage, driveways will be tapered with gravel to provide access to and
from the roadway.
· Floodplain Risk Assessment
Online Workshop held, January 5, 2021
The Brown’s Creek Watershed District (BCWD), Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed District (CMSCWD) and
the Comfort Lake – Forest Lake Watershed District (CLFLWD) are jointly evaluating approaches to conducting a
floodplain mapping/flood risk assessment with two goals in mind:
· The short-term goal is to outline potential approaches the watershed districts could take to map and
quantify future flood risk.
· The long-term goal for these watershed districts is to build a common understanding of risk and
prioritize projects and other resiliency actions.
Recommendations from consultants were to: 1. Conduct a GIS-based flood hazard assessment and workshop
and 2. Model both historical and projected rainfall data to evaluate current design practices and inform future
planning and management decisions.
CMSCWD has a completed Hydraulic and Hydrologic Model that was updated and calibrated in 2021. This model
will be the foundation for any future climate resiliency modeling we conduct.
CMSCWD has identified climate resiliency/floodplain risk assessment work to be conducted in the 2023 in the
CMSCWD Draft 10 Year Management Plan. The public comment period for the Management Plan ends October
15th and the public hearing for the final plan is scheduled for November 18th.
Staff is working with our respective boards to approve submitting a collaborative grant application to the MPCA
by December 21st. (Planning grants for stormwater, wastewater, and community resilience)
From the December 8, 2021 CMSCWD Board Meeting Minutes:
· Administrator Isensee reminded the Managers of a prior presentation by EOR to partner with CLFLWD
and BCWD to review floodplain mapping and flood risk assessment across the 3 watershed districts to
better prepare for large rain events and/or flooding. The proposal is for 4 organizations (CMSCWD,
CLFLWD, BCWD, and MSCWMO) to jointly apply for a grant for resiliency planning. Manager White
moved for Administrator Isensee to work with CLFLWD, BCWD and MSCWMO to submit a
collaborative grant application to the MPCA for resiliency planning for an amount not to exceed
$116,597 with a match from the CMSCWD of $3,615.00. Seconded by President Johnson.
The grant application was not awarded. There was over $3 million dollars of requests for only $1 million of
funding and presumably did not score well in the category of underserved communities. The CMSCWD Board of
Managers will be determining next steps during the 2023 budgeting process which will begin in July 2022.
The CMSCWD is planning to reapply in 2023 for the resiliency planning grant.
· Uptown Drainfield System Capacity Review
Recent inspection of interior of pumped-down EQ tank by Smilie’s didn’t detect any apparent sources of I/I – we
still don’t know where the additional flow that seems to be reaching the treatment system is coming from.
Recently received some info which confirms flows to the Uptown System, including the now-open café.
After a final review we’re looking at allowing the proposed Heritage Center to connect to the existing system
without modification.
Scenario if the Heritage Center would lock the bathroom doors during Amphitheater events and require people
to use porta potties:
Average (gpd) Max (gpd)
System Capacity 3,543 5,062
Existing Flows 2,500 4,000
Heritage Center Flows
(no amphitheater)
607 773
Total Future 3,107 4,773
· Regional Update – Highway 243 Osceola Bridge
MnDOT are in process of designing the reconstruction of the Hwy 243/Osceola Bridge over the St. Croix National
and Scenic Riverway, in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). The Osceola
Bridge was built in 1953.
The purpose of this project is to maintain a reliable highway connection over the St. Croix River for Hwy 243
between Washington/Chisago counties in Minnesota and the Village of Osceola and Polk County in Wisconsin.
The project team will work with federal, state and local interests to minimizing project impacts to the St Croix
River and other natural resources in the area.
MnDOT is working in partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to design the reconstruction
of the Hwy 243/Osceola Bridge over the St. Croix River. An online virtual public meeting was held March 3rd, to
learn about the possible design options for the bridge and share comments.
Project website: http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/hwy243osceola/index.html
March 3 virtual public meeting was held online. Meeting link -
http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/hwy243osceola/meetings.html
See updates below (end of report).
Schedule:
· Environmental documentation and preliminary design: 2021 through 2023
· Final design: 2023 through 2025
· Anticipated construction: 2025 through 2026
Denise Workcuff Dmitry Tomasevich
Communications and Engagement Project manager
denise.workcuff@state.mn.us dmitry.tomasevich@state.mn.us
651-775-0025 651-245-4406
· CMSCWD 2022-2031 Watershed Management Plan and Rule Revision
The Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed District (CMSCWD) has completed the public notification period to
consider the Draft Fourth Generation Watershed Management Plan (2022-2031). Final response comments
received during the 60-day comment period are attached to this report.
In addition to receiving written public comment, the CMSCWD held two public hearings at the Scandia
Community Center, City of Scandia on September 8, 2021 and November 18, 2021 and at which time all
interested persons will had the opportunity to address the CMSCWD Board of Managers concerning the
proposed draft plan and the draft response to comments. Additional information can be found on the District
website at https://www.cmscwd.org/10year-management-plan-update.
There were no comments on the revised rules from the Technical Advisory Committee or from the public
comment period. The revised rules were adopted and effective Jan 1, 2022. The following steps have been
completed for the CMSCWD Watershed Management Plan with no substantial changes to the draft plan: Public
comment period completed, draft response to comments approved by the CMSCWD Board of Managers and
posted on the website, second public hearing for the proposed revised plan based on public comment (no
additional comments received), final draft plan submitted to the Board of Water and Soil Resources.
The On April 13, 2022, the Carnelian Marine St. Croix Watershed District (CMSCWD) Board
of Managers adopted the 2022 Watershed Management Plan (WMP). The plan was
approved by the Board of Water and Soil Resources on March 23, 2022.
· Gateway Trail Planning
Meeting with Washington County has been scheduled for Monday, November 29, 2021 to discuss partnership on
Gateway Trail Planning opportunities within Scandia.
· Small Cities Assistance – Bill would provide dedicated funding for Account
The bill dedicates a portion of the auto parts sales tax to the Small Cities Assistance Account, which provides
street funding to cities with populations below 5,000.
· A bill passed by the Senate Transportation Finance and Policy Committee on Feb. 22 would provide
dedicated funding for the Small Cities Assistance Account, a formula-based program that provides
street funding to cities with populations below 5,000. The measure, SF 3086, authored by Sen. Jeff
Howe (R-Rockville), dedicates 100% of the sales tax on auto parts to transportation, and carves out
12% of the proceeds for the Small Cities Assistance Account. The bill was passed unanimously to
the Taxes Committee. The House companion, HF 3646, authored by Rep. Chris Swedzinski (R-Ghent),
has not been scheduled for a hearing. The League testified in favor of dedicating a portion of the funds
to cities with populations below 5,000. It is needed since these cities do not receive direct funding from
the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund (HUTDF).
Funding Estimates
According to estimates provided by legislative staff, the sales tax on motor vehicle parts currently generates
approximately $160 million annually. If SF 3086 passes in its present form, the Small Cities Assistance Account
would receive just over $19 million per year.
Another 12% would go to townships and the remaining 76 percent would be deposited into the HUTDF. Existing
law provides that the first $12.137 million per month (approximately $145.6 million per year) in revenues from
the sales tax on auto parts must be deposited into the HUDTF.
Motor Parts Tax Dedication Bill Passes House Committee
The House Transportation Committee heard HF 3931 – Huot on Thursday. The bill would dedicate 100 percent of
revenue from the tax on motor vehicle repair and replacement parts to transportation purposes. Under current
law, nine percent (9%) of the Highway User Tax Distribution Fund (HUTDF) is directed to the Municipal State Aid
Street (MSAS) system. If all these revenues were deposited into the HUTDF the MSAS system would see an
increase in funding.
The bill was amended to dedicate four percent (4%) of revenues to the Small Cities Assistance Account. The
amendment also dedicates 36 percent of revenues to the metropolitan area transit account. Other provisions
direct revenues to township roads and greater Minnesota transit. Click HERE for estimated revenue amounts for
the HUTDF, the small cities assistance account, and metropolitan area transit account.
SF 3086 – Howe passed the Senate on a vote of 59-7.
· The bill dedicates 100% revenues from the tax on motor vehicle repair and
replacement parts to transportation. Under current law, a monthly amount of
approximately $12 million is deposited in the Highway User Distribution Trust
(HUTD) Fund and the remaining revenues are kept in the general fund. SF 3086
moves 86% of all auto parts tax revenue into the HUTD, 7% into the small cities
assistance account, and 7% into the town road account. The allocation for small
cities (population under 5,000) amounts to an estimated $22.4 million in FY 2023.
Small cities currently receive no ongoing state funding for the construction and
maintenance of their roadways. The increased funding for the HUTD means
Municipal State Aid Streets (MSAS) will receive an additional $11 million in FY 2023.
Based on revenue projections, the funding for small cities and MSAS-eligible cities
will increase annually as revenues from the auto parts tax does.
· Spot mowing, spraying for noxious weeds to begin June 15
Washington County staff will be spot mowing and spraying for noxious weeds in the more
than 220 miles of rural roadsides June 15 through July 30, and again in October. This is
being done to help comply with Minnesota State Noxious Weed law administered by the
Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Mowing will be used to prevent seed set and the
following herbicides will be used to spray mowed area: Escort XP, Milestone VM, and
Liberate. Property owners who do not want their roadside sprayed or mowed, and who are
willing to take responsibility for controlling and eradicating noxious weeds on the adjacent
roadside, may visit the Washington County North Shop at 11660 Myeron Road in Stillwater
Township to obtain signage, or call 651-430-4300. Be prepared to provide an address, the
nearest cross street, and a description of where Do Not Spray signs will be located.
· Regional Update – Highway 243 Osceola Bridge