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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5.e. Airport Planning ProcessCITY OF ROSEMOUNT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR ACTION CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE:- SEPTEMBER 3, 1991 AGENDA ITEM: AIRPORT PLANNING PROCESS AGENDA SECTION: OLD BUSINESS PREPARED BY: STEPHAN JILK, CITY ADMINISTRATOR AGENDA MAR IMM 5E ATTACHMENTS: RESOLUTION, LETTER TO CITIES, APP B . NEWS ARTICLES, PUBLIC NOTICE On Thursday, September 5, 1991, the Metropolitan Council will conduct a public hearing at Rosemount High School to gather input on the proposed selection of the Dakota Search Area for airport planning purposes. I have added this back on the agenda for discussion purposes so that we may formulate a statement for presentation at the public hearing on Thursday. I believe that outlining those concerns we have addressed in our resolutions regarding the lack of credibility the process has provided, the conflicts with metropolitan development framework, the need to determine the need of a new airport and the need to speed up the decision making process,should all be brought out. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Formulate a position for presentation at the September 5th hearing. COUNCIL ACTION: CITY OF ROSEMOUNT DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA RESOLUTION 1991-47 A RESOLUTION SETTING A POSITION REGARDING THE SELECTION OF THE ''DAKOTA SEARCH AREA" AND THE TWO TRACK PROCESS FOR AIRPORT PLANNING IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council was directed to proceed on a two track approach, by the Minnesota Legislature, in 1987 for airport planning purposes. Track "A" called for the planning for continued expansion of the existing airport, and Track "B" called for the selection of a site for a potential new airport; and WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council, through its New Major Search Area Advisory Task Force, determined criteria for the selection of a search area, determined the process to follow in the selection of the search area and determined how those criteria would be applied; and WHEREAS, the same agency responsible for reviewing criteria and environmental performance adequacy on projects such as this has been allowed to "establish their own rules" and process, acting as both enforcement agency and developer; and WHEREAS, without public hearings and established methods of taking public comment which would effect the search area selection, this Advisory Task Force has "advised" the regional communities of their process and decision; and WHEREAS, the selection of Dakota Search Area as the "final" search area for the location of a potential new airport violates several goals established in the Metropolitan Development and Investment Framework, the Metropolitan Council's own "Guide Plan" for managing development in the region; and WHEREAS, the criteria established and followed by the Advisory Task Force eliminated the possibility of considering the existing airport as the final location choice by the advisory task force; and WHEREAS, the Advisory Task Force did not engage the region's communities in this planning process, but only advised them of their work; and WHEREAS, the Advisory Task Force members were not truly confronted with the regional communities' sentiment on the potential relocation of the existing airport; and WHEREAS, at a time when the State of Minnesota, through its legislature has recognized the need to develop a more stable and stronger relationship between the rural and urban areas of the state, and this selection process has been viewed by most rural residents as an effort by,he urbanized areas to push off the negatives of having an airport located near them to the rural areas and still retain the positive economic benefits related to projects of this nature; and WHEREAS, the final search area selected contains approximately one third of the land mass of the City of Rosemount and on two occasions the City of Rosemount have adopted resolutions indicating their support to: stop the two track process and to leave Rosemount out of any search area with no recognition of these concerns other than recognizing the city has adopted those resolutions; and WHEREAS, as the selection process continues and a final airport site is chosen, the City of Rosemount must continue to insure that its interests are best represented; and WHEREAS, the city's position is still firm that the existing airport should be expanded and maintained in its present position; and WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Rosemount recognizes the complexity of the issues relating to the location of a major airport and how its location effects the economic, political and sound structure of its neighboring communities; and WHEREAS, the cities, townships and county government of Dakota County may have divergent views on the planning and lobbying efforts which now must be carried out on this project. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Rosemount declares its strong opposition to the continuation of the "two track" process established by the Minnesota Legislature and that the Metropolitan Airport Commission, the Metropolitan Council and the State Legislature should continue to plan for the expansion and maintenance of the Minneapolis -St. Paul Airport at its current location, determine its site adequacy and until it is determined that the existing site is not capable in providing the expansion and operational needs for the next twenty years, and that this process be completed in the next 24 months, that the search area selection process be stopped and the Dakota Search Area be released out from under all development regulations as established under the airport siting act; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City of Rosemount finds it necessary to take a leading role to establish the scope of and the process for planning along with the Metropolitan Airports Commission and the Metropolitan Council, the final location for the airport site and all the land use regulations, environmental and socio-economic issues which will need to be addressed in order to protect the City of Rosemount and the other townships and cities in and abutting the Dakota Search Area. The City encourages other cities aNd,,township in and abutting the Dakota Search Area to join in with the City in this effort. ADOPTED this 20th day of August, 1991. Vernon J. Napber4 Ayor ATTEST: ael Stephan Jilk, CityAdministrator Motion by: Willcox Seconded by: Napper Voted in favor: Willcox Wippermann Napper. oxborough Klassen Voted against: None AUG 2i1991 METROPOLITAN COUNCIL'S er,y of WS&M Nr NEW -AIRPORT SEARCH AREA ADVISORY TASK FORCE PUBLIC MEETINGS on the Task Force's draft report Selecting a Search Area for a New Major Airport Part 3: Recommended Search Area The New -Airport Search Area Advisory Task Force will hold two public meetings to receive comments on it's draft report, Selecruzg a Search Area for a New MajorAirport, Part 3. Recommended Search Area. This report recommends designating the Dakota Search Area, a 115 square mile area in east -central Dakota County, as the general location for a possible replacement airport for Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport You are invited to attend these meetings and offer comments. Copies of the report (Pub. No. 559- 91-108) are available from the Council's Data Center by calling 291-8140. The task force is expected to take final action on the report on Friday, Sept. 20, 1991. This meeting will be held at 10 a.m. at the Metropolitan Council offices. PUBLIC MEETING INFORMATION: When/Where: Thurs., Sept. 5, 1991, 7 p.m. Rosemount High School Student Center 3335 142nd St W. Rosemount When/Where: Fri., Sept 6, 1991, 9 a.m. * Metropolitan Council Chambers 230 E. Fifth St_ St. Paul * This meeting will also be cablecast live on regional cable television channel 6 (Metro Cable MCN), and recablecast in part on Sat., Sept. 7, at 8 p.m. How To 1. You may attend one or both of the meetings and offer Participate: comments. To register in advance to speak, please call Donna Mattson at 291-6493. 2. You may send a letter with comments, which must be received no later than Sept. 6, to: John Kari, Metropolitan Council, 230 E. Fifth St., St. Paul, MN 55101. Questions: Call Donna Mattson of the Council staff at 291-6493. (Pity of (Rosemount PHONE (612) 423-4411 2875 - 145th Street West, Rosemount, Minnesota MAYOR FAX (612) 423.5203 Mailing Address: Vernon Napper P. 0. Box 510, Rosemount, Minnesota 55068-0510 COUNCILMEM8ERS 'Sheila Klassen John Oxborough Harry WiilCox Dennis Wippermann ADMINISTRATOR Stephan Jilk August 23, 1991 RE: AIRPORT SELECTION PROCESS Dear The announcement last week by the Metropolitan Council Airport Advisory Task Force served to reaffirm our previous beliefs that the Dakota search area would be the search area selected as the future site of a new metropolitan airport if this site selection process continues. Attached is a copy of a resolution passed by the Rosemount City Council on August 20, 1991, further opposing the continuation of the two -track process and affirming that directly affected cities should take a leading role in the planning process. The Rosemount City Council believes that it is imperative we begin to combine our efforts to preserve the integrity and use of the land within the Dakota search area. Therefore, we must begin to meet to develop and plan this effort. I would ask that those communities who are interested in being involved in such an effort and wish to meet to discuss our common interests to please contact me no later than Friday, September 6, 1991. After such time, a meeting will be scheduled. Please do not hesitate to contact myself or Assistant City Administrator, Sue VanderHeyden, with any questions. I look forward to working with you. Sincerely, Stephen Jilk City Administrator SJ/SV wef-ylliing7 �omtnq `-)l /11 ;_4J osemoun��l Proposal adds new, terminal 62 �' Y F i - , Nk1i2 i 4North-South� Alignment 'f Concourses A task force plan to .. ;' expand 'the airport:` I Remote TlnllN171 '.. Pa,t,,,` T recommends taking Y, ,�,,yy,�,,,,,,� much of two` Richfield neigh"oods and'' . the'Rneer � e e� U ' , cel ' noteis in a�oomingtonr Q Existing n+ c =J ljraltce and am a _ pow Proposed r temnai would'm.l ove Underground train 1 TIM VAN NESS/ PIONEER PRESS ort ex anslonproposal p wo l u. d affect 11,000 homes DON AHERN STAFF WRITER Three major Bloomington hotels if and 11,000 homes Minneapolis -St. in Minneapolis and Paul international Richfield would be removed if Minne- Airport is ever apolis-St. Paul In- moved, the ternational Airport replacement ration a likely to at is expanded, an ad- group to the in Dakota Metro Metropolitan Air- County between ports Commission Hastings and recommended Rosemount. Pago1B. Wednesday. The $4.5 billion expansion option rec- ommended Wednesday by the Airport Planning Task Force calls for adding a new north -south runway and relocating the main terminal to the west side of the airport. That would create a new main en- trance to the airport in the vicinity of Crosstown Highway 63 and Cedar Avenue — now the landing field's back yard. But before any ground is broken, the Legislature first must decide whether to expand the airport or build a larger one in a suburban location. A Metropolitan Council task force, working independent- ly of the airport commission, is expected on Friday to choose a tentative suburban site for a bigger airport.. The Legislature is not expected to make a decision on expanding or relocat- ing until the 1996 session. The Airport Planning Task Force — made up of 24 representatives of nearby communities and counties, state and met - AIRPORT CONTNUED ON 13A it. 1 .1.......,u "b- ".moo, LU111111CI LAdJ groups, and airport users — will forward its recommendation to the Metropolitan Airports Com The commission is sched- uled to choose among three run - Fli". way 'options and two terminal location alterfiativej on Aug. 27.. Wednesday's action was the first spec4ic. indication of how. expan- sion may occur. The $4.5 billion price tag for the propoied expansion. includes $1.5 billion for actual construction. The remaining $3 billion would'pay for razing - and , rel6cating..1;-11,000', homes in Richfield and §okh Mid-! neapolis near the airport; the Reg-� istry - Sheraton and Excel inn ho-: tels along Interstate 414, and for sound -proofing ' another :e..�Jj 000 houses in the area.l. - If the plan is approved by'.'both the airports commission' and, Legislature, the existing terminal eventually w aid 0 be eliminated; . In .its place would be two long boarding concourses, each totally encircled by parked airplanes. The replacement hangar would be be- =t "e- two existing parallel way on the west side of the - field,-- approximately where" the control tower and National Weath- er Service are now. It would have several levels of parking on top of t A remote parking, raim'lp'would be near the existing airport main, entrance on the east side.) That ramp, the concourses, and We new terminal all would be connected' by an underground train. The north -south runway would. be on the west side of the airport, with the end of the glide path di- rectly over Interstate 494 and the location of the three existing'.ho- Leis. ME runway would be used almost exclusively for takeoffs to the south or landings from the south so it could be used at the same time the other existing run- ways are in use. The other two options include adding a third parallel landing .I- strip either to the north or south of the existing northwest -southeast runways. Each of the three run- way options also can be paired with locating the terminal on ei7 ther the east or west sides. The task force was virtually unanimous in its choice of the north -south runway, although the Ramsey County delegate ab- stained from voting because the county board has not indicated a preference. But there was - far less agree- ment on moving the terminal and relocating the entrance near Ce- dar Avenue and the Crosstown, both already heavily traveled roads during - rush hours. An air- i port entrance there may require extensive highway improvements. Task_ force cliairnian Tim Lo- vaasen expressed , the' group's choice of a west terminal as "con-" sensus, . with strong reservations about access to Cedar, and the Crosstown." But several memberilsaid that they want to recommend what they think would be the best air- port layout, leaving problems like access to the region's highway sys- tem to be worked out later by experts. "If we can't make it work on if the west, we are already on the east" and can fall back to that as an alternative, Lovaasen argued. .;TIIURSi)AY. AUGUST 15, 1991 SAINT PAUL PIONEER PRESS Additional runway proposals V North Parallel - Runway and glide path would require.rebuilding military bases and buying about 75 1 apartment units in South Minneapolis. 17 V South Parallel Would take most or all of Rich Acres and New Fold Town residential areas of Richfield. 5 1 Existing ='P Grass roots opposition to new airport being organized quickly by Erik Christianson The grass roots opposition -to a new airpon t being -located in Dakota County is starting to grow. - Several elected officials, citizens and municipalities in Dakota County are seeking people who are ' opposed tb a nevvkiipoit bding built in their backyard.- "What we are really talking about is getting names and starting a group that will take a grass roots approach that will prevail in this issue," said Rep. Dennis,Ozment, IR -Rosemount. Ozment, along with Sen. Pat Pariseau, IR -Farmington, and Dakota County Commissioner Joseph Harris, are leading the charge to oppose an airport being built in Dakota County. Last Friday, a 115 -square mile portion of land in east -central Dakota County was recommended as the best site to build a new airport, should one be built. The - cities of Coates and Vermillion, the townships of Nininger, Marshan and Vermillion, and part of the city of Rosemount are included in the area. Ozment .said Tuesday that the opposition to a new airport started_: before last Friday, however. A booth was set up the Dakota' - County Fair and over. 1,250. names: and addresses of people opposed to a new .airport were collected, The . cities of Coites, .Hastings; Lakeville and Vermillion each staffed the booth for one. day. "We need to show opposition to the whole process," said Ozment. "We need to show that the present airport is completely useless before we throw it away.", Once the grass roots group gets organized, elects officers and starts having meetings, the elected officials will step aside. "As elected officials, we will then drop out of the picture and work on their behalf," he said. . Something the group is already vehemently opposed to is "land banking," the putting aside of land for a new airport for the future. That was one of the additional recommendations of the Group See page 3 GROUP �=.. Continued from paged Metropolitan Council planning staff. The New Airport Search Area Advisory Task Force will vote on the recommendafion Sept. 20. In addition, two public meetings will be held in early September. Ozment calls land banking a "cloud" over Dakota County. "That's what we are really fearful of," he said. "I think we need to protest that point more than anything." Those wishing more information can write "Stop the Airport", P.O. Boz 312, Hastings, MN, 55033. Ozment said those that sign up by the end of September will be contacted of the organizational meeting to be held in October. ".People really need to take over this effort," Ozment said. Lakeville city administrator questions ethics of task force by Erik Christianson The New Airport Search Area Advisory Task Force will be in violation of Metropolitan Council bylaws when it votes next month to recommend a search area for a new airport, according to Lakeville City Administrator Robert Erickson. "We believe there is a conflict of interest," Erickson told reporters after the task force's meeting last Friday. The task force accepted a recommendation to designate the Dakota Search Area as the best site for a new major airport. Erickson asked the task force if the bylaws of the Metro Council relating to advisory committees apply to the Sept. 20 vote. "We have mason to believe [that for many members] it is not possible to vote," he said. He feels` that number could be as high as ETHICS Continued from page 1 issue with" what Erickson said. He represents Dakota County and a small portion of Washington County. "How do you get around that?" Morris asked Erickson. "That's a no-win situation. You either have too much or not enough." Of the 41 -member task force, only seven even live in Dakota County. It is not known the exact employment status of most of the task force other than elected officials. Morris, who said he is a pilot, told Erickson he asked to be on the task force. "I support the area of ethics," Morris said, but as far as specs he couldn't "spell [them] out right now." "The Metropolitan Council worked on ethics some time ago," Morris said. Erickson said he doesn't view his question as a move of desperation. H added the city of Lakeville has contacted legal advisers about this issue. "We raised the issue," he said. two-thirds of the 41 -member task force. The bylaws relating to advisory committees state in part that if a member has a material or financial interest in the issue, is employed with an institution directly involved in the issue or is related by blood or marriage to someone directly affected, they have a conflict of interest: Erickson said some examples of conflicts of interest include living in the search area or working for an airlines. "How can they vote? They have a vested interest," Erickson said. "I think it needs to be resolved." Metro Council member E. Craig Morris approached Erickson after the meeting, saying that he "took Ethics see page 3 "They will have to respond." The task force took no action on Erickson's question. Airport would s impact county's quality of life n y q y To the editor: Good morning, Dakota County. The range war is on and the day when heavy aircraft are overhead is getting closer. Soon the Metropolitan Council will most likely recommend land banking for a new major interna- tional airport to replace the pre- sent Minneapolis/St. Paul Inter- national Airport. The designated area (115 square miles) to be land -banked is in central Dakota County and includes parts of Rosemount, all of Coates and all of Vermillion and borders on Farmington, Lakeville, Apple Valley and Hastings. Prevailing northwesterly winds could very likely result in alignment of the most frequently used flight path to be over Rosemount and Apple Valley (including the zoo). If this happens and a world-class inter- national airport is built in Rose- mount, the quality of life for thousands of Dakota County K residents will be diminished significantly. Also, thousands of acres of rich farmland will be paved over forever. There must be a better solution to whatever might be the perceived problem. The most disturbing part about the present process of the Metropolitan Council as man- dated by the Minnesota Legislature is that it runs suspect of being a land -grab operation by special interest groups in the core of the metropolitan area. These special interest groups appear to be dedicated to moving the noise out of Minneapolis and St. Paul while preserving access to the future airport by using bullet - trains or whatever. Special inter- est groups interested in the mass joined the noise mover groups. So far, the agenda to do it appears to have. been executed with the precision of a ballet perfor- mance. It's time to drop the cur- tain. Why haven't more people been* concerned about their property values dropping as soon as land banking begins (within weeks)? Why haven't more people recog- nized the change in quality of life that will affect them when there is the constant roar of heavy air- craft taking off over Rosemount and Apple Valley? I suspect that it's human nature for us to act only when we are convinced there is a problem, I think there's a problem and everyone in Dakota County who owns residential blasting the roars of takeoffs of heavy aircraft that will become standard soundq if the new air- port is built here; then, maybe then, we'd begin to realize a small portion of the impact that the new airport would have on our com- munity and how this problem dwarfs other current community Problems. One local public hearing is left before the Metropolitan Council's task force concludes its report. This is scheduled for Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. at Rosemount High School. For information on the New - Major Airport Search Area Ad- visory Task Force, call John Kari at 281-6548 or Donna Mattson at 291-6493. I'd also recommend con- tacting your elected officials. movement of an infinite number property and/or lives here best of people into the metro area recognize the problem. Maybe if RONJACOBSON within a short period of time in Chuck Doyle could be hired to fly Rosemount order to fill several domed his double -winged plane over stadiums for unimaginable con- Rosemount, Apple Valley and ventions and opportunities have Lakeville with loud speakers ( . August 1991 Metropolitan Airports Commission! containing information on the ng T rm%Comp l o'r thy" ;}. Lo a rehensive an 21 nneapolls-3t Paul international Airport_ w30',4( Number Fizr MSP Airport Planning Task Force Recommends Nopth-South Runway, West Terminal as Preferred Expansion Option The MSP Airport Planning Task Force, at its Aug. 14 meeting, selected a north - south runway and a replacement west terminal (Concept 6) as the preferred expansion option for Minneapolis -St. Paul International Airport. The recommendation is being forwarded to the Metropolitan Airports Commission, which is scheduled to choose among three runway options and two terminal alternatives at a special Aug. 27 meeting. The Task Force, a broadly based 24 -member group composed of local, state and metropolitan officials, has provided a sounding board for work in progress on the Long Term Comprehensive Plan for MSP. Chaired by MAC Commissioner Tim Lovaasen, the group reviewed a report on off-site impacts developed by the MSP Airport Interactive Planning Group, as well as an on -sire development concepts report. According to Lovaasen, the Task Force was unanimous in its choice of the north -south runway. Some members voiced reservations in selecting the west terminal, primarily because of ground access considerations. "The Task Force felt the replacement west terminal was a better long-term option than an expanded east terminal," Lovaasen says. "In addition, it provides a better international terminal and construction can be phased in while operations continue from the existing terminal. However, an airport entrance near Cedar Avenue and the Crosstown may require extensive highway improvements." The north -south runway would be on the west side of the airport and would be used for takeoffs to the south or landings from the south. This option would mean removal of the Registry, Sheraton and Excel Inn hotels along Interstate 494. The facilities cost for this option is $1.5 billion; additional costs have been developed by the Interactive Planning Group for off-site mitigation, including relocating and soundproofing residential areas. "The facilities costs are harder numbers than the mitigation costs," Lovaasen says. "The mitigation costs certainly include some assumptions from the cities bur essentially, these costs did not really help differentiate between one alternative or another." Concept 6 — North -south rtmual and replacement west terminal. Public Meetings Scheduled in September to Present Information on Preliminary Selection of Airport Development Concept for MSP A series of public meetings will be held in September to provide information on the preliminary selection of an airport development concept for the Long Term Comprehensive Plan for Minneapolis -St. Paul International Airport. The concept, which will be selected by the Metropolitan Airports Commission at its Aug. 27 meeting, will be described by MAC representatives. The public meetings will be held in the cities adjacent to the airport, including Eagan, Bloomington, St.. Paul, Mendota Heights, Minneapolis, Richfield and Burnsville. According to Nigel Finney, MAC Deputy Executive Director, Planning and Environment, the presentation will focus on the option selected by the Commission. "We also plan to provide a framework and context for this preliminary selection," Finney says, "and to explain how this current step firs into the dual -track planning process." The schedule includes: Sept. 10 - Eagan at City Hall, 7:00 p.m. Sept. 12 - Bloomington at City Council chambers, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 16 - St. Paul at City Council "Airport Development Concepts" Publication Presents Runway/Tepminal AltepnaRves to Meet MSP's 2020 Needs A newly published report, Airport Development Concepts, presents the identification, evolution and selection of alternatives for airfield, terminal, ground access and other facility development to meet 2020 needs for Minneapolis -St. Paul International Airport (MSP). The publication, prepared by Howard Needles Tammen & Bergendoff in association with other consultants, is the fifth in a series of reports detailing the Long Term Comprehensive Plan for MSP for the 1990-2020 timeframe. The Volume 5 report is being used by the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) to review on -.site and off --site characteristics of the six consolidated airport development concepts. The report contains a discussion of runway and terminal development alternatives, a detailed evaluation of consolidated airport development concepts, and a recommended comprehensive plan. Cost estimates and an evaluation summary are also provided. Metropolitan Airports Commission "? 6040 28th Avenue South + Minneapolis, Minnesota 55450 (D Printed on Recycled Paper chambers, 7:00 p.m. Sept. 17 - Mendota Heights at City Hall, 7:00 p.m. Sept. 23 - Minneapolis at 7:00 p.m. Sept. 25 - Richfield at the High School, 7:00P m. Sept. 26 - Burnsville at City Hall, 7:00 p.m. In addition to the presentation, an informational brochure will be available. Anyone needing further information or directions to these meetings can call Jenn Unruh at 726-8189. Update is published monthly by the Metropolitan Airports Commission in an effort to provide information on the Long Term Comprehensive Plan for the Minneapolis -St Paul International Airport. To request copies of brochures or reports on the airport development concepts or for information on upcoming meetings, please call Jenn Unruh at 726-8189. STEPHEN JILK 36626 2875 145TH ST W ROSEMOUNT MN 55068-4941 ;:_, ! STEPHEN JILK 36626 2875 145TH ST W ROSEMOUNT MN 55068-4941