12-03-2007 CC MIN - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Minutes December 3, 2007 Page 6 Mayor Klinzing asked staff to provide information to the council about the cost and upkeep • to maintain the gravel roads, wondering if it would be more cost effective to pave them. Mr. Maurer stated he would put some figures together but that this would be a best guess estimate and not entirely reliable. Counciltnember Motin asked if the costs incurred are 100% assessed to the property owners. Mr. Maurer stated the costs would be 100% assessed but with the larger project like this, he consulted with the finance director as they would have to fund the project up front. He stated he doesn't want to turn this into ashort-term financing issue. MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER FARBER AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER GUMPHREY TO ADOPT RESOLUTION 07-99 ORDERING A PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY REPORT FOR THE 2008 STREET OVERLAY. MOTION CARRIED 5-0. 6.4. Feasibility Report Regarding Ouiet Zone Stuff Along Burlington Northern Santa Fe ~BNFS) Rail Line Mr. Maurer presented the staff report and explained the study with a PowerPoint presentation. He explained the information gained after meeting with BNSF, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and MnDOT. He outlined the major areas of concern involved in creating quiet zones in the city. He stated the city would bear the entire cost of improving or replacing a crossing in order to prepare it for a quiet zone, which would cost approximately $100,000 per crossing, and with no county funding available even though some of the crossings belong to the county. He explained there would be changes to traffic patterns, and there is no guarantee the crossings will be totally horn-free. He explained the city would have to follow the federal rules and guidelines put forth by the FRA. He stated these are realistic but costly hurdles. Mayor Klinzing stated the city should either do all or none of the crossings. Councilmember Farber stated this would cost too much money. Councilxnember Zerwas agreed and stated there are other transportation priorities and funding quiet zones are not feasible. Mayor Klinzing commented the public has raised the question of whether or not the city has the authority to change how the horns are blown. Mr. Maurer stated the city has to follow the federal rule and doesn't have the authority to change how the engineers sound the horn. Mayor Klinzing asked if the city has contacted BNSF to ask them to consider changing how they blow the horns. Mr. Maurer and Ms. Johnson both stated no, the city hadn't contacted BNSF.