Title
Resolution No. 1 - Prepare Plans and Specifications for the Proposed Dhu Varren Road Sidewalk Special Assessment Project
Memorandum
Approval of the attached resolution directs staff to prepare plans, specifications, and cost estimates to construct sidewalks on both sides of Dhu Varren Road from Omlesaad Drive to the Nixon Farms developments as a special assessment project. Construction of these sidewalks will provide residents along Dhu Varren Road with pedestrian access from Omlesaad all the way to Nixon Road.
The construction costs to fill these sidewalk gaps will be partially funded by the Federal Surface Transportation Fund (STP). By leveraging federal funds for this project, the City is able to reduce the costs assessed to property owners.
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 $600,000 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 project may also require the City to obtain some temporary grading easements from adjacent property owners. As required by MDOT, staff will estimate the value of the grading permits following MDOT’s procedures and offer the property owners reasonable compensation 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 attached resolution directs staff to provide and share cost estimates for this work and identify the potentially assessable parcels.
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 that meeting, staff will return to Council with Resolution 2, which will define the estimated individual costs to each parcel.
Below is a tentative schedule for the project:
July, 2018: Council Meeting - Resolution 1
August 2018: Administrative Hearing Meeting with property owners
September 2018: Council Meeting - Resolution 2
November 2018: Resolution 3
December 2018: Public Hearing & Resolution 4
January 2019: MDOT Bidding
February 2019: Council Meeting - MDOT (City/State) Agreement
July 2019: Begin construction
Budget Impact
This project is scheduled to receive Federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) Funding for Fiscal Year 2020, which can pay for up to $600,000 of the construction cost of the project. The local share of the project will be by special assessments and the by the Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage Fund.
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 the following improvement: Dhu Varren Sidewalk Project, described as:
Construction of sidewalk within the Dhu Varren Road Right of Way, on both the north and south sides of Dhu Varren Road, from Omlesaad Drive east to the Nixon Farms developments. The length of sidewalks installation is approximately 1,250 feet on each side, for a total length of 2,500 feet.
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be directed to prepare plans and specifications for said improvement project, and an estimate of the cost thereof;
RESOLVED, That 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, That the City Clerk shall present said report to the Council and make it available for public examination.