Title
Resolution No. 1 - Prepare Plans and Specifications on Proposed Stone School Sidewalk - Sidewalk Special Assessment Project
Memorandum
Approval of the attached resolution directs staff to prepare plans, specifications, and cost estimates to fill in the sidewalk gap along the west side of Stone School Road as a special assessment project. This work will be included in the 2017 Stone School Road Sidewalk Project (Birch Hollow Drive to Packard Road) which in part will be funded by the Federal Surface Transportation Fund (STPU). The City’s ability to use federal funds for this project will also create the opportunity for the private property owners to receive the sidewalk improvements at less than the standard rates.
Within these project limits, there is currently one gap in the sidewalk, and a length of asphalt sidewalk which is in poor condition and requires replacement. The gap is approximately 1,000 feet long on the west side of Stone School Road from Birch Hollow Drive to a point approximately 175 feet north of Pebble Creek Drive. A portion of this gap fronts Clinton Park. In accordance with the City’s Non-Motorized Plan and Complete Streets approach, it is proposed to install a new sidewalk to close this gap and provide a continuous pedestrian connection along the west side of Stone School Road. Among other benefits, providing this walkway would allow neighbors to access to Clinton Park and the Jewish Community Center.
Permanent easements will not be necessary as the right-of-way provides sufficient width for this sidewalk construction project. However, the addition of the new sidewalks will require the removal of some trees and grading along some properties. As required by MDOT, staff will estimate the value of the grading permits following MDOT’s procedures and offer the property owners reasonable compensations for the grading permits granted to the City. Any property owner that chooses may donate their grading permit to the project at no cost, or ask for the value of the grading permit to be factored into the calculation for the special assessment items as an offset to some of their special assessment cost.
The project also includes the replacement of the existing asphalt path which begins at a point approximately 130 feet north of Ticknor Court and ends at the Pathways to Success Academic Campus. However, this portion of the project will not require any special assessments.
As called for in Chapter 13 of City Code, the cost for the addition of new sidewalk where none currently exists is borne by the parcels that benefit from the improvements. Because this is a federal-aid project, up to 80% of the construction cost of the sidewalk would be paid by federal Surface Transportation Funds. The remainder of the costs would be local share.
The attached resolution directs staff to provide and share cost estimates for this work once it is designed. Three parcels have been identified as being potentially part of the special assessment district.
If authorized to undertake this work as a special assessment project, staff will meet with the affected property owners to describe the project and its associated costs. Following those meetings, staff will return to Council with Resolutions 2 and 3 which define the individual costs to each parcel and establish a Public Hearing Date.
Below is a tentative schedule:
June 6: Council Meeting - Resolution 1
June 7: Mail Administrative Hearing invitation to residents
July: Individual meetings with residents
Aug 15: Council Meeting - Resolution 2 and 3
Aug 16: Public Hearing date is advertised
Sept 6: Council Meeting - Public Hearing and Resolution 4
This project is scheduled to receive Federal Surface Transportation Program - Urban (STPU) Funding, which typically pays for up to 80% of the construction cost of the project. In addition to special assessments, the local share of the project will be funded through a variety of sources, including:
Street Millage (for replacement/repair of existing sidewalk)
Parks Millage (for installation of new sidewalk at Clinton Park, and repair of sidewalk fronting Stone School Park)
Risk Management Fund (for sidewalk repair/replacement adjacent to township parcels)
Once the project design is developed, specific amounts will be estimated for each of these funding sources.
Staff
Prepared by: Nicholas Hutchinson, P.E., City Engineer
Reviewed by: Craig Hupy, Public Services Area Administrator
Approved by: Tom Crawford, Interim City Administrator
Body
Whereas, Council deems it necessary to acquire and construct the following improvement: Stone School Road Sidewalk; described as:
Construction of sidewalk fronting parcels along the west side of Stone School Road, between Birch Hollow Drive and 175 feet north of Pebble Creek Drive, which are currently not served by sidewalk along Stone School Road.
RESOLVED, The City Administrator be directed to prepare plans and specifications for said improvement project, and an estimate of the cost thereof;
RESOLVED, The City Administrator be directed to file a report of same with the City Clerk, including a recommendation as to what proportion of the cost should be paid by special assessment and what part, if any, should be a general obligation of the City, the number of installments in which the assessments may be paid, and the land which should be included in the special assessment district; and
RESOLVED, The City Clerk shall present said report to the Council and make it available for public examination.