Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 05/11/2000 - Joint with Planning Comm

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, - .......... P a~;¢. 2 , }b"~'k-Z'l~)fE.'~O~('l~'iN to City)4'2-0-0-0~71~0-C ' , ,, ,~ Memorandum to Sylvia Frolik/City of Ramsey City of Ramsey April 20, 2000 Page 2 Commissions discussed the following issues: 1. Sidewalk vs. Path. A distinction was reached regarding a sidewalk, constituting a 5-foot wide ribbon of concrete to be placed along the edge of property located in residential developments and a trail, constituting an 8-foot wide strip of bituminous which use would be limited to locations within the City which meet the criteria for expansion of the existing trail corridor system. 2. Maintenance./Snow Removal. Maintenance generally falls into two categories. The first being routine, day-to-day maintenance, such as snow removal, and the second being structural upkeep. With respect to snow removal, the general consensus was that the adjoining landowner would be responsible for this type of upkeep. As an enforcement mechanism, the City may want to consider an assessment in the event that the resident did not effect appropriate snow removal within a certain period of time following each snow fall. (Note, time period or amount of assessment was not discussed.) With respect to "structural integrity - type maintenance" the consensus was that the City would be responsible for maintaining the sidewalk other than day-to-day cleaning (e.g. snow removal). In order to fund the City's obligation to restore cracked or broken sidewalk and to perform other non-ordinary course repairs, a recommendation was made that an assessment be made from the residents on a periodic basis to establish a fund from which the Public'Works Department would have sufficient resources to fund such repairs. The periodic fund options that were discussed included a quarterly per diem of $1 per quarter to be billed to each resident of the City within the MUSA on the quarterly water and sewer statement. Alternatively, an option was discussed to require each homeowner with sidewalk to make a deposit (one time or other?) into the fund (amount?) to fund the repairs. Further analysis is required. 3. Location. Sidewalk location should be placed within the road right of way fdrainage and utility easement). By placing the location of the sidewalk within the 9-foot drainage and utility easement, the dimensions would provide for an approximate boulevard width of 36 inches, a 5-foot sidewalk width and a l-foot buffer between the residential property line and the end of the drainage and utility easement. The placement of the sidewalk, on a case by case basis, may require slight modifications to accommodate unusual dimensions in residential lots, with a preference to maintain uniformity where possible. With respect to carve-outs relating to placement of the sidewalk, no consensus was reached as to whether the sidewalk would be placed within each cul de sac or whether it would be within the purview of the City staff, Planning Commission and City Council to require a sidewalk in a cul de sac on a case by