Minutes - Council - 02/24/2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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was taken and only two people were supportive of a trail. After the discussions the Park and Trail Committee approved not to have the trail, and the Council supported them. One of the last things one of the Councilmembers asked was if they would prefer a sidewalk in front of their house instead of the trail. The person talking to the Council was her husband, and he was not being a spokesman, he was being an individual. She suggested this money be put into a park rather than a trail or sidewalk, as there are a lot of parks that need work. She does not feel it is a good expense to put the sidewalk there. She understands these are dedicated funds from the developer of the new development, but it would be better served to put the money into the parks. She does not think it will serve anyone on 145th Avenue to have their landscaping and sprinkling systems dug tip for the purpose of a sidewalk unless there is some rationale that they will be doing this throughout the City to existing neighborhoods. She stated the neighbors in this area have car pools and nobody walks to school. Public Works Director Kapler indicated this area is within the two-mile walking radius. Councihnember Cook stated he believes one of the reasons they discussed the sidewalk or the original trail was the connection to the new neighborhood and the elementary school. It is late to now be discussing this, as they are at the point of construction. The sidewalk is not just for the houses in their neighborhood, but for the community, These neighbors may carpool, but the people in the new subdivision might not. Also, with regards to how the money is spent, this is trail funding fi:om the developer and can only be spent on trails; the sidewalk is replacing trail that was originally in the plan. Councilmember Kurak asked if the sidewalk will be put in the easement. Assistant Public Works Director Olson replied the sidewalk will be within the right-of-way and there is also a ten-foot drainage easement along the northerly boundary of the right-of-way. The only time they may run into the easement is if there is a driveway that needs to be matched. All of the sidewalk will be constructed in concrete and there will be a new concrete apron put on each driveway that is passed by. If there is too steep of a slope they may have to go into the drainage and utility easement, however, everything will be re-sodded and re-seeded, and sprinklers will be replaced. Greg Stallick, 6001 145th Lane, stated he was working from home the Tuesday or Wednesday before Thanksgiving and had the survey crew in his front yard. He asked what they were surveying and they said it was for the sidewalk. He called Julie Horn and she contacted Cotincilmember Strommen and went to City Hall. He talked to Patrick on December 1st and expressed his concern about the sidewalk and was told everyone along the north side of 145th were adamant about the trail. He stated he does not think that many people were adamant, only two people may have said yes to a path. If he had the option of a path going through the buffer zone behind his yard and the development or the sidewalk in his front yard, he would choose the walking path. He thinks a walking path would better serve the purpose than going through the fi'ont yards of the people on 145th Lane. Their neighborhood only has 21 houses and does not have a feeder road onto Sunwood Drive. He would like this issue revisited. He understands the Council and Park and Recreation Board want something to connect the trail system, but he would City Council/February 24, 2004 Page 23 of 31