Title
Resolution No. 2 for the Jackson Avenue Sidewalk Gap Elimination Project - Westover Avenue to Park Lake Avenue - South Side of Jackson Road - Special Assessment District No. 61
Memorandum
The City of Ann Arbor has undertaken the design of the 2019 Sidewalk Gap Elimination Project for the upcoming construction season. This project included the construction of a new sidewalk along the south side of Jackson Avenue’s Eastbound lanes from Westover Avenue to Park Lake Avenue. The project entails the construction of about 1,640 lineal feet of a new, 5 foot wide, sidewalk. In order to construct the project it will be necessary to perform some regrading of the right-of-way in order to allow the path to be constructed to ADA Standards. It will also be necessary to remove 17 existing trees that are growing close to the roadway that will interfere with the sidewalk construction. Given the existing ditch in this area, it is not practicable to move the sidewalk to avoid the trees. This project will fill in a lengthy sidewalk gap on this segment of roadway and is expected to be completed in Summer 2020.
A portion of the project will be along the frontage of the Dolph Nature Area. This segment is about 761 feet in length. This portion of sidewalk will be paid for by the Ann Arbor Community Services - Parks Department and is included in the Special Assessment District as City Share - Non-recoverable. The estimated cost of this work is $152,650.00.
On April 6, 2020 a resolution entitled “Reallocate $118,000.00 from the Resident-Driven Sidewalk Gap Filling Program to the Barton Drive Improvement Project and the Jackson Avenue Sidewalk Gap Project”, Legistar Item No. 20-0328, is on the agenda that will, if approved, allocate $73,000.00from the Resident-driven Sidewalk Gap-filling Program to be used to defray about half of the estimated assessment costs of the proposed Jackson Avenue sidewalk. As this Resolution had not been approved at the time of this writing, the estimated assessments presented herein have been calculated assuming that this funding will not be available to offset the estimated special assessment amounts. If the resolution is approved as written, the estimated special assessments will be reduced by about 49% as previously stated.
In keeping with the requirements of Chapter 13, Section 1:282, of the City Code and the City’s policy of assessing abutting property owners for the installation of new sidewalk when it is originally installed adjacent to their property, staff has prepared for your review and approval, the estimated costs of the sidewalk installation and distribution of the assessable portion of the costs therefor.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: Total project costs for the Jackson Ave. Sidewalk Gap Project are estimated to be $324,872.00 as indicated below and funding is included in the appropriate approved capital budgets (Project Number TR-AT-18-03).
Expenditure Budget:
Estimated Construction $234,872.00
Estimated Engineering, Testing, and Inspection $ 76,762.00
$311,634.00
Revenue Budget:
Street, Bridge and Sidewalk Millage (non-assessable) $ 11,221.00
Parks Maint and Capital Improvement Millage $152,650.00
Special Assessment (assessable) $147,763.00
$311,634.00
Attached, please find Resolution No. 2. Resolution No. 2 establishes the estimated costs and their distribution. The City Assessor’s Office will also be preparing and submitting Resolution No. 3 which establishes the date of the Public Hearing as required by City Code.
Resolution No. 1 was previously approved by Council on December 16, 2020. Postcards informing the affected property owners of the project and inviting them to an informal administrative meeting were mailed on February 18, 2020. The informal administrative meeting to discuss the project and the proposed special assessments was held with the affected property owners and/or their representatives on March 12, 2020. Unfortunately, it appears that due to issues associated with the COVID-19 virus no one attended the meeting. Subsequently, Engineering Staff prepared and mailed individual letters to each property owner informing them of the project, its benefits and impacts, estimated costs, the planned project schedule (including the planned presentation of Special Assessment Resolution Nos. 3 and 4), and other salient project information to them on March 13, 2020. These letters were also simultaneously shared with the Mayor and the Ward 3 and 5 Council Members. Information regarding the project has also been placed on the City Engineer’s webpage.
The proposed project schedule was shared with the Mayor and the Ward 3 and 5 Council Members on March 10, 2020. Excerpts of the proposed project schedule relating to needed upcoming Council actions is as follows:
Special Assessment Resolution No. 3 - presented to Council on April 20, 2020.
Special Assessment Resolution No. 4 - presented to Council on May 4, 2020
Public Hearing regarding the planned Special Assessments - May 4, 2020
Award of Construction Contract for the Jackson and Washtenaw Sidewalks - May 4, 2020
While the planned project schedule is somewhat aggressive, it is needed in order to construct these important sidewalks and eliminate gaps this construction season and minimize impacts to the residents and overall community.
Staff
Prepared by: Nicholas S. Hutchinson, P.E., City Engineer
Reviewed by: Craig Hupy, Public Services Area Administrator
Approved by: Tom Crawford, Interim City Administrator
Body
Whereas, The City Council has directed and ordered the City Administrator to have prepared plans, specifications, and estimates of cost for the construction of sidewalk described as follows;
Jackson Avenue Sidewalk Gap Elimination Project - Westover Avenue to Park Lake Avenue - Sidewalk along south side of Eastbound lanes of Jackson Avenue; Sidewalk Special Assessment District No. 61.
Whereas, The City Administrator has had the same prepared and has filed the same with the City Clerk together with the recommendations as to what part of the cost thereof should be paid by special assessment and what part should be paid by the City at large, the number of installments in which the special assessments may be paid, and the lands which should be included in the special assessment district;
Whereas, The same has been presented to the City Council and examined and reviewed by the Council; and
Whereas, Funding is available in the appropriate approved capital budgets;
RESOLVED, That the plans, specifications, estimate of cost, and the recommendation of the City Administrator be filed with the City Clerk and be available for public examination;
RESOLVED, That the plans, specifications, estimate of cost, and recommendations of the City Administrator for said improvement as filed with the City Clerk by the City Administrator and presented to Council be approved;
RESOLVED, That the City Council hereby determine to proceed with the construction of the sidewalk described as follows;
Jackson Avenue Sidewalk Gap Elimination Project - Westover Avenue to Park Lake Avenue - Sidewalk along south side of Eastbound lanes of Jackson Avenue; Sidewalk Special Assessment District No. 61.
RESOLVED, That the City Council determine the cost of said improvements, including all incidentals, to be estimated at $311,634.00, and that of said total cost, the sum of $147,763.00, be paid by special assessment upon the property specially benefited within the City, and the sum of $11,221.00 be paid by the City as City Share Non-recoverable, and $152,650.00 be paid for by the Parks Maintenance and Capital Repair Millage;
RESOLVED, That the costs of the proposed improvements and the distribution of costs thereof be apportioned in accordance with Chapter 12, Title I, of City Code including interest and finance charges for said public improvements;
RESOLVED, That the following described lots and parcels of land be designated as constituting the special assessment district against which the cost of said improvement shall be assessed, or against which an improvement charge shall, pursuant to Chapter 13, Section 1:282, of the City Code be levied (see attached drawing and spreadsheet);
RESOLVED, That the City Assessor be hereby directed to prepare a special assessment roll in accordance with the foregoing determination of the City Council, and the file the same, together with his certificate attached thereto, with the City Clerk for presentation to the City Council; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take the necessary administrative actions to implement this resolution.