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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Approved <br /> <br />Kaufhold inquired if the City and developer would allow residents to remove some of the trees <br />that will be coming down for demolition to be replanted in their yards. Black replied that the <br />City Forester will be arranging to relocate the trees to City parks. <br /> <br />Housing Development <br />Black reported that the schedule will require updating since poor soil was found in the <br />southwestern portion of the Midwest Asphalt site and its removal will delay the grading by a <br />month. Its removal will require digging down thirty feet and replacing it in with clean fill. <br />Kaufhold inquired if the soil is contaminated or structurally unsound. Black replied it is peat <br />soil, which is structurally unsound. <br /> <br />Dump Cleanup <br />Black reported that staff had a meeting recently with MPCA staff. MPCA has taken a position <br />that all of the dump material would have to be removed if the City residential uses below. This <br />would increase the cost of the cleanup to close to $20 million. Instead, staff is looking at <br />modifying the framework plan on the east side, by moving the housing into an area where there <br />is currently proposed office space and/or by raising the residential to the second floor, but no <br />decisions have been made. The estimated cost of removing all of the dump material is $50 <br />million, far more than anyone can afford. Sherman Associates did not think there would be an <br />issue of selling the units over the dump as long as there are MPCA assurances that it is safe. <br /> <br />Nelson inquired how long the dump cleanup will take. Black replied that it is a six-month <br />process. Kaufhold asked if the peat that was found on the west side could be used as the cover <br />over the dump. Black replied that he's not sure it can be used at all. The MPCA requires <br />extensive testing on all fill and the timing of digging out the peat and when the dump will require <br />cover may be an issue. <br /> <br />Demolition <br />Black announced that demolition work has been moving along as scheduled. There has been <br />some dumping by residents at the old Mengelkoch site and the City will be doing additional <br />patrols to help control this issue. <br /> <br />Office Development <br />Black announced that the City has had two or three inquires regarding office development. <br />Staubach Co., a broker, is looking at one of the two southern sites on behalf of a 55,000-square- <br />foot tenant. Sherman was willing to consider swapping sites for development when asked about <br />the bowling alley site. The broker is discussing the possibility of the tenant occupying two-thirds <br />of the building and having another tenant lease the rest of the building. The City does not want <br />to sell the sites for development much smaller than the plan calls for. Black added that the City <br />will hold a similar process for selecting a developer for the office sites as it did for the <br />residential, and suggested that the commission would likely be engaged to assist in screening the <br />developers. <br /> <br />Financing <br />Black reported that staff met recently with the DEED, Met Council, and Ramsey County staff to <br />discuss possible funding for environmental cleanup. Proposals for the west side will be well <br />received when the 2007 cleanup is a little closer. The east side is more difficult, because there is <br />