Minutes - Public Works Committee - 03/20/2007

Home

Dehen asked whether there are additional costs that would be added to the low and high costs outlined in the staff report. City Engineer Jankowsl(i noted if the house is not relocated there would be a different price included for the sale price to the mover, but many of the costs, such as purchasing the lot, would be eliminated. Chairperson Elvig suggested Planning Staff could investigate options such as Habitat for Humanity taking over the house. City Engineer Janl(owsl(i indicated he has spol(en with ACCAP previously. When the City did the project on Highway 47 ACCAP purchased 12 of the 13 homes; the homes are sold to movers. Motion carried. Voting Yes: Chairperson Elvig, Councilmembers Dehen and Olson. Voting No: None. Case #2: Preservation of ROW in Vision Clearance Triangle City Engineer Jankowsl(i reviewed that in 2004 the City adopted Ordinance #04-23 which established a vision clearance triangle at each intersection corner to provide adequate sight distance for vehicles entering the intersection. This ordinance places restrictions on property owners for land uses that would interfere with sight lines within this area. Essentially the ordinance creates a triangle having legs of between 25 and 50 feet from the back of the street curb, depending on whether or not there is a stop condition for that particular leg of the intersection. Included in the Committee's pacl(et is a copy of Ordinance #04-23 and a figure illustrating the property that is impacted by this ordinance. Mr. Jankowski explained in the process of developing this ordinance it was anticipated that there would be conflicting interests between the City's concern for public safety and the desires of property owners to landscape their properties. In fact the ordinance designated at the Public W orl(s Committee as the final authority in determining appeals by property owners. City Engineer Janl(owsl(i stated as new streets are platted staff feels that such potential conflicts can be minimized if the vision clearance triangle is dedicated as a portion of the right-of-way. According to the Ordinance #04-23 the size of the triangle is dependant upon whether there is a stop condition on that particular leg. The maximum amount of additional property dedicated as right-of-way would amount to 220.5 square feet, the area of a 21 foot right triangle at an uncontrolled intersection of two minor streets. This area would be reduced to 10.5 square feet (a 3 foot by 7 foot right triangle) where a minor street would be controlled with a stop yielding to a collector street. In the cases of alleys, the additional property dedicated as right-of-way would be 55 square feet (a 10.5 foot by 10.5 right triangle). Mr. Jankowsl(i indicated there will be no direct financial impact to the City from this proposed change. Chairperson Elvig commented large lots are really the only current situations without stops; urban settings typically have stop signs at four way corners. City Engineer Janl(owsl(i indicated there are actually more T intersections than four way intersections in the City; he is not certain that the majority of the intersections have stops. He advised staff recommends that the platting requirements be modified to require the dedication of the vision clearance triangle as a portion of right of way dedication. Public Works Committee / March 20, 2007 Page 9 of 14