Agenda - Council - 03/09/2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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like it rc-addrc':;s;cd tlmt the residents were not necessarily very adamant about having a walking path bchi~d t!~cir yard. Councilm,:~fi~c: ('ook slated the developer is not required to put in the trail now because the Cotmcil nc?.oii:[tc:tl with the residents that did not want it in their back yard. This developer was very open :ui¢l ;~l ltwcd many meetings lbr the residents to come and speak. The citizens then felt they had ¢o~d~ ~.l about what happens on the property and because of that had a large turnout that did ~ol wa~l i1~.; ~ ~ils tm two sides of the property. From his point of view they should have just said it wo~ld b~: Ih ~rc, and either way they would have disappointed residents. Assistant Iqit,lic Works Director Olson explained the Council's action tonight would authorize staff' to relc',~s,: il~i:; l'or the advertisement of bids. The contractor will review the plans and make a bid, ami tlic' qcxl step would be for the Council to award the contract. If this is not the plan the Council win,t,-; lo complete it should not be sent out for bids. Mr. Stallick s4cttc~t he was part of the meetings with the developer and once some of the neighbors :d~tricd :~grecing with what was going on they started thinking they could not ask for anything l',ctt,:,' tlt~n ~his development. The $365,000 houses back there will raise the value of his house ~(I lh~r..~ al~prcciate the developer getting the citizen input. He stated they were not notified o[' a~y ol}~er meetings, the only other discussion he has heard about a walking path was a petition thai c :tlt-!c around. If the Council or Park and Recreation Board acted on the impression there was :~ rcl~rcs, :~tation of the north side of 145th Lane, he would disagree with that. The best case sccm:rh> ii, t}im would be not to have the trail or the sidewalk, but he would rather see a trail behind hi:-; l~,.~,.~sc. Ifc would, however, like to know where that trail would be before they start rippi~ ~.~, ui~ thc-lrces, as that was designated as a tree preserve. Assistant I~ubli,, \¥orks l)irector Olson stated there was a public hearing and everyone adjacent to the dcvclot-,~nc'~ was notified. Mayor (hm~cc ~;ia~,:d them was a good argument as to why the trail should not be in the back yards. Th,:y l~avc .?me through this several ti~nes, and the trails and sidewalks are keeping kids el'f of lbo Cotmcilmc,;l-,~'~ >;l r(mum:n commented she thinks the goal when dealing with this development was to crc',wz :t i(~)p, which is a reasonable goal. They then got hung up on where that loop would be. };;c4~:~l on tl]e input thc decision was a preference of the sidewalk in the front. She explained ,;h,.: I~;~:',, ,xpericnced finding out about a project when a contractor is going through the yard and tt~c (;i~.5 I~as to watch this. It really leaves a bad taste in people's mouths for the whole contract m,(I they ~ ccd ~t) get notification out. She understands staff wanting to wait for bids, but there arc n(~ ti~t niany houses and they should notify people early so they do not find out from a priwlte COl Ill ;I., ;l~ )l'_ Councilmc~,b~:~ {' !t3ok stated he would like to state for the record that he fought tooth and nail for thc trails, i it: }qo tght ttp the sidewalk as an alternative but voted against it. The sidewalk is whore they art in tl~t.: plans now. City Council/February 24, 2004 Page 24 of 31