#2 Presentation of proposed 2011 sidewalk program
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM
September 22, 2010
TO: City Council
FROM: Carl J. Weber P.E., Director of Public Works
SUBJECT: Direction to Staff on Implementation of Installation of Planned
Unfunded Sidewalks: Pedestrian Transportation Corridor Plan
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council approve a ranking system for the multiyear
planned unfunded sidewalk installation, replace the special assessment procedure
used in the past with a billing process authorized by State Statute 66.907 and
schedule a public hearing for October 25, 2010 to receive comment on the
locations considered for inclusion in the 2011 program.
City Manager’s Recommendation
The City Manager concurs with the recommended approach. I believe this
approach is consistent with previous Council discussions.
Suggested Motion
I move to approve the ranking system for the multiyear planned unfunded sidewalk
installation as presented, to schedule a public hearing on October 25, 2010 for the
purpose of receiving comments on the 2011 considered locations and to direct
staff to notify the abutting property owners of the tentative 2011 sidewalk program
prior to the public hearing.
Request
The City Council, at its July 12, 2010 regular meeting, directed staff to proceed
with the installation of the planned unfunded sidewalks from the previously
adopted Pedestrian Transportation Corridor Plan (PTCP). Because of the large
quantity of walk to be installed, staff has prepared and is seeking approval of a
plan to prioritize and schedule completion of the sidewalk over a number of years
in an orderly and efficient manner.
Background
City Council Direction
The PTCP adopted by the City Council on January 14, 2008 includes 63 miles
of planned unfunded sidewalks. The City Council directed staff to proceed with
the installation of the planned unfunded sidewalk on July 12, 2010, completing
5 to 9 miles of construction each year until completed and commencing in
2011.
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Ranking
To provide for orderly scheduling of the directed work, staff developed a
ranking system which considered:
1. Development status
2. Land use
3. Proximity to schools
4. Traffic volume
5. Presence on a bus route
Item 1 above considered streets with current conditions unsuitable for the
installation of sidewalk. This involved streets primarily along the periphery of
the City with rural cross sections, open ditches, prohibitive cross slopes or
other major obstructions. This initial screening resulted in the recommended
deferral of 17 of the original 63 miles of planned unfunded sidewalks. The
remaining 47 miles of sidewalks were ranked using the following point system:
1. Zoning
a. 0 points - Agricultural, conservation and mining (A,C & M)
b. 1 point – Low density residential (R1 & 2)
c. 2 points - Industrial (M1 thru 4)
d. 3 points - Business or Office (B1 thru 6, BT and O1 thru 3)
e. 4 points – Medium to high density (R3, R3M & R4)
2. School Proximity
a. 1 point - Between ¼ and ½ mile radius
b. 2 points - Within ¼ mile of schools
3. Street Classification
a. 0 points - Local
b. 1 points - Collector
c. 2 points – Minor Arterial
d. 3 points – Principle Arterial
4. On bus route
a. 0 points - No
b. 1 point – Yes
Scheduling
Approximately one half (25 miles) of the streets received a ranking of 3 to 7
(with 7 being the highest priority) and the remaining (21 miles) ranking 1 to 2.
In order to achieve construction and management efficiencies while giving
priority to higher ranked locations, a schedule was devised to group work in
adjacent PTCP zones and to make an initial pass of the City completing the
locations ranked 3 or higher and then a second pass for the locations ranked
below 3. With this in mind the following schedule was developed:
PTCP Zones Rank Miles Year
3 & 4 3 thru 7 5.68 2011
1 & 2 3 thru 7 5.19 2012
7 & 8 3 thru 7 7.58 2013
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5,6 & 9 3 thru 7 6.89 2014
2,3 & 4 1 & 2 6.95 2015
1,6 & 7 1 & 2 7.56 2016
5,6 & 9 1 & 2 6.88 2017
Locations designated as deferred would be worked into the schedule as their
status changes. Also, any gaps within a block where partial existing walk exists
would be installed along with the locations ranked 3 thru 7 in the same PTCP
zone.
Public Hearing
To allow affected property owners time to comment on sidewalk orders and/or
to fiscally plan for the cost of installation, a public hearing will be held before
the council each fall preceding the scheduled construction year for those
locations included in the following year’s program. Staff will prepare a
recommended list of locations based on the approved schedule. The final list of
locations to receive sidewalk installation orders will be approved by the City
Council following the public hearing. The hearing for 2011 installations can be
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scheduled for the October 25 meeting.
Billing
st
Property owners will be given until May 31 of the year following notification to
complete private installation of ordered sidewalk. Any sidewalk not installed by
the property owner will be installed through a bid contract by the City with the
cost thereof billed to the property owner. Once invoiced, the property owner will
be given three (3) payment options.
ST
1. They can pay the invoice in full by October 31
2. They can have the invoice rolled over onto their property tax bill and incur
no interest.
3. If the bill is over $250 they can elect to use the five-year payment plan and
incur interest charges.
To allow for an approximate 6 month notice of sidewalk installation orders, it is
recommended that the City use the procedure authorized by State Statute
66.0907 rather than the special assessment process. This will allow staff to
notify property owners of an estimate of the installation cost rather than the
current process of bidding projects in advance of the special assessment
process. This will also provide efficiencies in the invoicing process.
cc: Eric Levitt, City Manager
Jacob J. Winzenz, Assistant City Manager/Dir. of Administrative Services
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