Title
Resolution No. 1 - Prepare Plans and Specifications for the Stimson Street Sidewalk Gap Special Assessment (District #59), and Appropriate $15,000.00 from the General Fund Balance for the Design of the Project (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
Approval of the attached resolution directs staff to prepare plans, specifications, and cost estimates to fill sidewalk gaps along the north and south side of Stimson Street from South State Street to White Street as a special assessment project.
Stimson Street currently has three parcels with sidewalk gaps between State Street and White Street.
In accordance with Complete Streets approach, it is proposed to install a new sidewalk to fill these gaps and provide continuous pedestrian connections at these locations. The construction of the sidewalk may require the removal of some trees, acquisition of temporary grading permits, and possibly require the relocation of DTE utility poles. The extent of any of these requirements to install sidewalk is not fully determined at this time and will be further explored during the engineering design and public engagement phase of the project.
This work is anticipated to be done through the City’s 2020 Sidewalk Repair Program.
City Code provides that the cost for first time sidewalk infrastructure be borne by the parcels that benefit from it. A preliminary planning-level cost estimate performed by City staff estimates the total cost of the sidewalk to be approximately $45,000.00. The attached resolution directs staff to provide and share detailed cost estimates for this work, and establish the composition of the special assessment district.
If authorized to undertake this work, staff will reach out to affected residents and stakeholders to conduct a thorough public engagement effort. Following those meetings and further development of the engineering design, 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 for the project:
November 18, 2019: Council Meeting - Resolution 1
January 2020: Administrative Hearing Meeting for sidewalk assessments
February 2020: Council Meeting - Resolution 2
March 2020: Resolution 3
April 2020: Public Hearing & Resolution 4
April/May 2020: Begin construction
Budget Impact: While the sidewalk will ultimately be paid primarily through special assessment, the City must fund the cost of designing and constructing the project until the assessed amounts are recovered. The attached resolution appropriates $15,000.00 from the General Fund fund balance to fund the design and public engagement for the sidewalk. Should the project advance to the construction phase, the non-assessable portions of this work would be paid for from the Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage.
Staff
Prepared by: Nicholas Hutchinson, P.E., City Engineer
Reviewed by: Craig Hupy, Public Services Area Administrator
Approved by: Howard S. Lazarus, City Administrator
Body
Whereas, Council deems it appropriate to construct new sidewalks to consist of:
The installation of new sidewalk in places where it does not currently exist, on the north and south sides of Stimson Street from South State Street to White Street;
RESOLVED, The City Administrator be directed to prepare plans and specifications for said improvement project, and an estimate of the cost thereof;
RESOLVED, City Council appropriates $15,000.00 from the General Fund fund balance to be transferred to the existing 2020 Sidewalk Repair Street, Sidewalk, and Bridge Millage Project; thereby increasing the project revenue and expenditure budgets, for purposing of funding the design and public engagement for the sidewalk at the referenced location;
RESOLED, That the funding shall remain available without regard to fiscal year;
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.