Agenda - Council - 02/08/2011 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Background: City Engineer Himmer stated Mr. Belschner is present to request the purchase of a drainage and utility easement on his property located at 7319 162nd Lane NW. As part of the NW sewer and water extension project to serve development proposals at the north end of the City, ditch cleaning was necessary. In addition to acquiring easements for the utility lines it was Council direction to also secure drainage and utility easements over the existing ditch so that we could adequately maintain it in the future. Even though state ditch laws would allow the City the right to maintain the ditch, it was Council's feeling that those individuals that have a ditch on their property should be compensated for the inconvenience of potential access and other impacts associated with maintenance Mr. Belschner, along with many other residents along the ditch, were sent letters in 2006 requesting consideration to sell the City drainage and utility easements. Approximately 90% of the impacted property owners consented to the easements, but for those that did not respond state ditch laws were used for the ditch cleaning project. Mr. Belschner is now requesting that the City follow through with the purchase, as there was no sunset date on the correspondence. There was discussion from the Committee that this project dates back six years and would like to seek the City Attorney's opinion. Motion to recommend to City Council to deny acquisition of the easement, subject to the City Attorney's opinion. It was further discussed that this item should be presented on the regular agenda of the February 8, 2011 City Council meeting, and Mr. Belschner should be contacted. Action: Ratify the recommendation of the Public Works Committee. 5.10 moved to Case 5.4 Consider Plan for Potential Soil Import to the COR City Engineer Himmer reviewed that staff has received a letter from Mr. Peterson of Oakwood Land Development requesting the City's interest in purchasing 50,000 to 80,000 cubic yards if soil. The Committee discussed making a recommendation to the HRA to hire a consultant to develop a mass grading plan; including a plan for distribution of soils so land in the COR could be marketed in sequence where soils would be dropped first. The HRA should also develop a policy or strategy on how to test import soils, what do we do when such potential import sources are discovered, and a process to incorporate into the development and marketing of the COR. At this time it is too premature to act on this specific request from Oakwood, but we should keep it in the back of our mind and advance the grading analysis as quickly as possible in an effort to possibly take advantage of this potential source in the near future. Motion to recommend to City Council that the HRA consider a proposal from Landform to undertake the mass grading analysis. This item was considered and approved by the HRA on January 25, 2011. Action: Ratify the recommendation of the Public Works Committee. 5.3 moved to case 5.6 Consider Change Order of IP08 -34 151st Avenue, 152nd Avenue and Fluorine Street Improvements Background This was brought to City Council on January 25, 2011 as a consent item. 5.4. Consider Priority Street Lighting along County Road 116 (Bunker Lake Boulevard)