METRO Blue Line Extension (Bottineau LRT) Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting
Meeting Summary
General Meeting Overview • Date/time: January 25, 2016 6:30 - 8:30 PM • Location: Crystal Community Center – Gymnasium, 4800 Douglas Drive North, Crystal • Attendance: 97 attendees signed in at the registration table
Meeting Purpose The purpose of this meeting was to educate residents on the METRO Blue Line Extension Project and the station area planning process at 42nd Avenue while gathering feedback on the final design concept for the Bass Lake Road station area.
Meeting Objectives: • Share information on the Blue Line Extension project environmental analysis and the Bass Lake Road Station Area Plan (refined design concepts) • Provide information on Crystal’s Bass Lake Road station area plan design • Seek input on the final design concept for the Bass Lake Road station area from meeting attendees
Meeting Promotion Flyer Distribution: The City of Crystal and Hennepin County consultant staff distributed flyers in the Bass Lake Road station area to local businesses, places of worship, government buildings and apartment complexes. A list of distribution locations is provided in Appendix A.
Media Releases and Post Meeting Media Coverage: Hennepin County sent a press release announcing the meeting to a number of media outlets, many resulting in publication. A list of media outlets that received a meeting notice, as well as links to promotional publications can be found in Appendix B.
Email Distribution: Hennepin County sent out an email invite to those signed up for GovDelivery. Email invitations were also sent to Crystal elected officials, City of Crystal and Hennepin County Boards and Commissions, Bottineau Station Area Planning Community Working Group members, Bottineau LRT Health Equity Engagement Cohort (HEEC) members and the Bottineau LRT Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). Members of these groups were asked to post the meeting notice on their websites and distribute the meeting notices to their members and other local contacts.
1. Website Postings: Hennepin County and the City of Crystal posted information about the meeting on their websites.
Social Media: Hennepin County and the City of Crystal posted the meeting notification on their Facebook and Twitter Pages.
Meeting Format The Crystal Station Area Planning community meeting began at 6:30 PM with registration. Large drawings illustrating the Bass Lake Road and Becker Park station area design concepts were provided for each discussion group table. Some general display boards about the station area planning process were available, and county staff members and consultants were available to answer questions. The Bottineau Light Rail Transit Project Office (BPO) was stationed near the registration table with maps and other project information available, and project staff were present to answer questions. Participants were given meeting materials and invited to sit at any open table for the presentation and small group exercises.
Meeting attendees were welcomed with opening remarks from Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat. He thanked participants for taking time to be actively engaged in the Crystal station area planning process and for their interest in the future of the Bottineau Light Rail Transit project. He emphasized how much community input had already impacted the design process, and how crucial it was to remain involved for the remainder of the project. Darlene Walser, of Hennepin County Community Works, gave a brief introduction and introduced Barry Long of Urban Design Associates, the urban design firm working with the county and corridor cities to create the design concepts. Using a PowerPoint presentation, Mr. Long went over the feedback received from previous community meetings, and explained how that feedback was used to develop the new refined design concepts.
The presentation was followed by small group discussions about the design concept alternatives. Illustrations of the design concepts for the Bass Lake Road station area were placed on each table. Each group facilitator led the group in a discussion based on the following questions, and group members were encouraged to note their responses on the illustrations:
. What do you like about the station area design concepts (green dots)?
. What don’t you like (red dots)?
. What did we miss that you would like to see added (blue dots)? One person from each group presented their small group’s ideas to the entire group.
Prior to the meeting’s conclusion, Nick Landwer from the Bottineau Light Rail Project Office took a few minutes to discuss concepts for a pedestrian bridge over Bottineau Boulevard at Bass Lake Road. Mr. Landwer said that the Crystal City Council held a working session about the pedestrian bridge just before this meeting, and more information is still being developed. He invited everyone in attendance to a public open house the following Tuesday, February 2nd, at the Crystal City Hall Community Room to hear more details about the LRT project, progress of the pedestrian bridge concepts, and pedestrian crossing issues in general.
Results from the small group map exercises are provided in Appendix E.
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 2. Small Group Exercise Notes Table 1
• Leave the park alone • Liked concept #2 (Park Re-Imagined) • Would like to see more use of the park when ball games are on • Concerns about the parking on Bass Lake Road • Concerns about bicycles access/getting across Bottineau Blvd • Like potential redevelopment of the houses behind commercial area along Bass Lake Road • More restaurants, upscale, gather for drinks, little destination sites • Sidewalks get narrow within a mile of the park • Use Golden Valley on 55 & Winnetka as an example for how to design Bass Lake Road • Would like child care near the LRT station so children would not have to cross Bottineau Blvd or Bass Lake Road • More pedestrian friendly crossings at all intersections • Will there be bus connections? Where? Will there be bicycle storage and shower facilities? • Coffee shops/amenities at stations • Pedestrian friendly/bike access (storage facility/showers, childcare near station) • Safe pedestrian crossings • Like community friendliness • Concern for safe pedestrian crossings on HWY 81 • Bike facilities on the shoulders and bike storage facilities • Coffee shops, day care, restaurants, destination sites desired
Table 2
• Increase of activity at the park • Is baseball diamond necessary? • Move playground - it is too dangerous to cross Hwy 81 to get to the park • Changes, places to cross bridge • Like to see more trees
Table 3
• First thing brought up was pedestrian bridge and crossing questions • Congestion/traffic is a concern • Feels this is not community driven, but county driven • Concerned about safety and crime rates • Demand for housing – but what kind? • Proposed LRT will bisect neighborhoods • There are noise problems with traffic, freight trains and future LRT • Why is there no roundabout at Bass Lake Road? • Aging population is a consideration and multi-use/mixed use can be full of stairs • Who will maintain the pedestrian bridge? • Seniors have difficulty crossing streets today • Is this really what the community wants? • LRT would be in a good centralized location • Like the current demographic character of the city. • Park is located in a bad spot • Pedestrian bridge will be elevated with a 24-foot clearance Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 3. • Need vertical circulation towers with elevators and roof to keep snow out • Option to cross at grade if preferred • Any vertical tower options will have an elevator • Like the community and the proposed station area plan could help make it more awesome • Love this neighborhood as it is • Existing businesses – have people who like them, need help in improvements (some new, but like as is) • Might create driver anxiety if bring more people in with mobility problems Table 4
• Will new developments be successful? • Will LRT cause crashes? • Bakery would be nice • Concerns: Pedestrians crossing Bottineau Blvd., crashes • Bakery going in on Bass Lake Road is desired
Table 5
• Like the look of the park • Move traffic signals to improve safety • Revamp businesses – fill empty spaces • Would like to see less liquor sales • Need more parking (150 doesn’t sound like enough) • Like revamping park and playground • Like new buildings and revamping • Bring nicer, new, “edgier” look; less liquor sales • More parking needed at station • Don’t keep current buildings along north edge of Bass Lake Road; replace with new development • Like the idea of just one ballfield in Becker Park; keep the park the same size, but make improvements to it; add more lights to the park to make it safer • The proposed park and ride lot needs more spaces, can it be decked? Concern about nuisance parking if there isn’t enough parking available • Need less car sales and liquor sales • Crossing Hwy 81 is difficult for people going to the clinic • Don’t like empty businesses in the commercial area off West Broadway; there is a restaurant further west on Bass Lake Road that keeps changing names/ownership
General questions/statements about Blue Line Extension: Will LRT bring people to the commercial area? How will this affect taxes? How will it disrupt traffic on Highway 55? Table 6
• Becker Park: o Not using to full potential o No access or parking o Need improved safety/pedestrian lighting, especially for children o Security is an issue – sometimes more police than people o Important asset for community o Don’t lose green space
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 4. • Development Opportunities: o Area near LRT station is not attractive – aging buildings, see back sides of buildings, needs better gateway to city o General support of opportunity sites o What will happen to parking as sites infill or redevelop? o Excited about possibilities and bringing in new people o Discussion of impact on City of Crystal itself • Business Area along Bass Lake Road: o Ethnic businesses: Want to keep/support o Visual improvements would help o Need stronger businesses – high turnover o LRT will bring customers and that’s good o Concern that redevelopment would drive out small ethnic businesses o Limit on-sheet parking times – maybe 2 hours o How would business relocations be handled if redeveloped? o Looking at refurbishing businesses on N. of Bass Lake Road o Maintain ethnic diversity o Like refurbishing business and facades o Keep the ethnic diversity and ethnic businesses • Promenade o General support of idea o How will bikes be treated? Are there bike lanes on cycle tracks? o Will there be traffic impacts due to high pedestrian volumes or added pedestrian crossings? o Interest in pedestrian bridge over Highway 81 • LRT questions o Will there be right of way acquisition in this area? Homes? o Will LRT be on east or west side of freight track? o Will there be noise walls? o Is freight track being moved?
Table 7 • Bass Lake Road/Hwy 81 busy- how bad would congestion get if a train were crossing every 5 minutes • Is there enough parking? • How will this improve/affect safety in the park? • Bass Lake Road and Hwy 81 are very busy • Will parking at the station be signed? Will there be enough park and ride? • Would like to see building rehab and the promenade • Nighttime safety and safety in general are a concern; there is loitering at night; particularly in Becker Park • No strong opinions voiced about the pedestrian bridge
Table 8 • Like the promenade • Want access to businesses • New families moving in to this can bring in new people as older people leave • South end of line – what to do with those undesirable areas
• Concern for timing of train going through the intersection and impacts to traffic • When will the pedestrian bridge be discussed?
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 5. • East of Hwy 81 is segregated from the rest of the city – it is hard to cross Hwy 81. • The comers on east side of Hwy 81 are good to have in the TOD overlay district as is the area along W. Broadway. • Like the parking and façade improvements along Bass Lake Road • Like getting rid of barn and opening up the park • Like drawing people into downtown. • LRT and the station area/park can be a gateway to downtown • Why is the far south area of W. Broadway not in orange as an opportunity site? This is a polluted site and should be redeveloped. • It is a long way to walk to the park from across Hwy 81 ; how can this be addressed; the park looks close but it is still a long walk. • Like opening the back of the shopping center (Bass Lake Road and W. Broadway) and adding trees • Concern about maintenance and good snow removal • Don’t like current location of bus stop on W. Broadway • Liked promenade • Rejuvenates the city as retirees move out • Pleased and excited to be involved in planning process • Found a place in the South to add into opportunity sites • Long walk between bus connection on W. Broadway and the LRT station
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 6. Appendix A: Flyer Distribution List – Crystal Location Address # of Flyers Cedarwood Apartments 5450 Douglas Drive N 170 Calibre Chase Apartments 5450 Douglas Drive N 80 Crystal Community Center 4800 Douglas Drive N 5 Crystal City Hall 4141 Douglas Drive N 2 Rockford Road Library 6401 42nd Ave N 2 Almstead’s Market 4200 Douglas Drive N 1 Holiday Station stores 5410 Lakeland Ave 1 Crystal Business Commons 5500 Lakeland Ave N 1 NAPA Auto Parts Crystal Business Commons 1 Minnesota Air Crystal Business Commons 1 Business under renovation Crystal Business Commons 1 Target Crystal Shopping Center 2 Marshalls Crystal Shopping Center 1 Smart Beauty Supplies – Essence Hair & Wig Crystal Shopping Center 1 Johantgen Jewelers Crystal Shopping Center 1 Smoke Shop Crystal Shopping Center 1 Radio Shack Crystal Shopping Center 4 El Loro Restaurant Crystal Shopping Center 1 Fantastic Sam’s Crystal Shopping Center 1 Panaderia Market Crystal Shopping Center 1 Crazy Buffet Crystal Shopping Center 1 Caribou Coffee Crystal Shopping Center 1 Game Stop Crystal Shopping Center 1 Kumon: Math, Reading Success Crystal Shopping Center 1 Famous Footwear Crystal Shopping Center 1
Subway Crystal Shopping Center 1 Little Caesar’s Pizza Crystal Shopping Center 1 Jin’s Chow Mein Crystal Shopping Center 1 GNC Crystal Shopping Center 1
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 7. Fashions Mambo Crystal Shopping Center 1 Pawnworks – Crystal Crystal Shopping Center 1 Dark Horse Vapors Crystal Shopping Center 1 Home Choice Crystal Shopping Center 1 Down in the Valley Crystal Shopping Center 1 USPS Crystal Shopping Center 1 Starbucks Crystal Shopping Center 1 Allstate Insurance Crystal Shopping Center 1 DE Paris Nails Crystal Shopping Center 1 Broadway Bar & Pizza Crystal Town Center 1 Liquor Barrel Wine & Spirits Crystal Town Center 1 Half Price Books Crystal Town Center 1 Chipotle Crystal Town Center 1 Fantasy Gifts Crystal Town Center 1 Nokomis Shoe Shop & Filson Crystal Town Center 1 Tailor N You Bass Lake Rd 1 Rizo De Oro Bass Lake Rd 1 Habinka Discount Beauty Supply Bass Lake Rd 1 Bella’s Bass Lake Rd 1 King Olympic Café Bass Lake Rd 1 City Cutz Bass Lake Rd 1 African Market Bass Lake Rd 1 MGM Liquor Warehouse 6200 Bass Lake Rd 1 Los Gallos 6200 Bass Lake Rd 1 El Jalapeno 6236 Bass Lake Rd 1 Little Folks Daycare 6226 Bass Lake Rd 1
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 8. Appendix B: List of Notified Media Outlets and Resulting Publications
Media Outlets Receiving Meeting Notifications
• SunPost • Africa Paper • Channel 12 • MN Spokesman-Recorder • La Prensa • Asian American Press • One Nation News • Hmong Times (biweekly) • Insight News
Links to Meeting Notices and Post Meeting Publications
Hennepin County http://www.hennepin.us/residents/transportation/bottineau-community-works http://www.hennepin.us/~/media/hennepinus/residents/transportation/bottineau/crystal-flyer-12-21-15.pdf?la=en GovDelivery reminder notice sent
Hennepin County Commissioner Mike Opat- Hennepin County Commissioner District 1 https://www.facebook.com/opat4hennepin/ Posted January 22, 2016
City of Crystal http://www.ci.crystal.mn.us/bottineau_transitway_information.php http://www.crystalmn.gov/2016_Public_Hearings_and_Notices/Station_Planning_with_flyer.pdf
Crystal Police Department https://nextdoor.com/agency-post/mn/crystal/crystal-police-department/bottineau-lrt-station-meeting-19451809/
Crystal Councilmember Olga Parsons- Crystal City Councilmember-Section 2 https://www.facebook.com/olgaparsonscrystalcitycouncil/?fref=nf Posted January 24, 2016
Webber-Camden Neighborhood Organization http://www.webbercamden.org/hennepin-county-save-the-date-january-25-meeting-station-area-planning-in- crystal/
SunPost http://post.mnsun.com/2016/01/06/blue-line-extension-meetings-open-houses-in-crystal/
AALF Corridors of Opportunity https://www.facebook.com/AALeadershipForum1/ Posted January 25
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 9.
Appendix C: Meeting Agenda
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 3.
Appendix D: Comment Cards
Comment 1
• I really like what was presented and can’t wait for 2021! Thank you for taking into account the bike and pedestrian access, the green spaces, and commercial development.
Comment 2
• Consideration for increased traffic, trying to get around increased walking, pedestrian stops on Bottineau.
Comment 3
• Our backyard butts up to the railroad tracks. We are concerned about the amount of traffic this will cause. We at least want some kind of fence put up between Bass Lake Road and 63rd. We stay in Crystal because it’s a nice place to live. Think about how you would like to be in your backyard on a nice “finally” spring or summer day watching trains go by every 10 minutes.
Comment 4
• We must have a privacy fence placed behind my home and the railroad that will be moving closer to my home. The light pollution and invasion of my privacy is unacceptable.
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 4. Appendix E: Workshop Mapping Exercise Results Table 1
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 5. Table 2
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 6. Table 3
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 7. Table 4
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 8. Table 5
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 9. Table 5
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 10. Table 6
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 11. Table 6
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 12. Table 7
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 13. Table 8
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 14. Table 8
Meeting Summary: 1/25/2016 Crystal Bottineau LRT Station Area Planning Community Meeting 15.