Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/18/1985 - Special Minutes City Council MINUTES SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1985 5:00 P.M. COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Halter, Councilmen Bond, Boughton, Brown, McIlhaney, Runnels COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Tongco STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Bardell, Assistant City Manager VanDever, Director of Capital Improvements Ash, City Engineer Pullen, City Attorney Locke, City Secretary Jones, Council Coordinator Jones VISITORS PRESENT: See guest register. The meeting was called to order with all Councilmembers present except Councilmen Bond, Brown and Tongco. A~enda Item No. 1 - Consideration of Green's Prairie Road design and contract. City Manager Bardell presented the item. He stated that the Council in previous action authorized the construction of Green's Prairie Road and awarded the contract to Young Brothers. He re- ported that a number of problems were encountered after construc- tion began on the project which resulted in termination of con- struction. He pointed out that the principal problem encountered was a conflict between the gas pipeline located immediately adja- cent to the city's right-of-way and the roadway. He listed sev- eral alternatives for resolving the problem as follows: (1) move the roadway slightly to the south; (2) change the location of the pipeline both laterally and horizontally; or, (3) swing the left- hand lane of the roadway over into the right-hand and swing it back around the location of the pipeline. He stated that the staff met with Mr. William Fitch and Walton and Associates to discuss alternatives in the design of the roadway to resolve the problem. He noted that because it would represent a major change and result in additional costs it was brought to Council for con- sideration. Director of Capital Improvements Ash explained that the discus- sions centered on a proposal to change the original cross-sec- tion, a two-lane roadway with shoulders, to a roadway of suffi- cient width to provide a continuous left-turn lane the entire length of the project. He noted that the proposed roadway would have a thirteen foot center-turn lane for a total pavement width of fifty-eight feet including the shoulders. He noted that the proposed changes in the roadway would provide greater flexibili- ty. He stated that the proposed design necessitates that the SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1985 PAGE 2 center-line of the roadway be shifted to the south side of the right-of-way, which would solve the problem encountered with the gas pipeline. He stated that Walton and Associates estimated the cost of the proposed changes at $1,601,973.00, which is consider- ably greater than the original estimate of $1,047,273.00. Councilmen Bond and Brown arrived at the meeting. Director of Capital Improvements Ash stated that Green's Prairie Road falls in the category of a principle road projection which allows for ninety percent of the cost of the roadway to be as- sessed against the abutting property. He noted that a large per- centage of the abutting property is owned by the city, which would result in the city's being responsible for approximately $307,000.00. He noted that the assessable amount of the project would be $1,134,174.00 resulting in an assessment to the abutting property of approximately $78.00 per linear foot. He explained that the proposal was presented to Council in order to ascertain some direction on how to proceed with the project. Mayor Halter asked for further explanation of the difference be- tween the original project and the proposal presented. Director of Capital Improvements Ash stated that the original alignment called for the ditch to be located on the north side of the right-of-way in addition to the gas pipeline, which was not buried as deep as originally anticipated. After construction be- gan on the project it was determined that the gas pipeline pre- sented an obstacle to completion of the original design plans. He listed several ways to solve the problem as follows: (1) con- struct a retaining wall; (2) move the pipeline; or, (3) redesign the roadway to move the centerline. Mayor Halter stated that it would be less expensive to build a retaining wall to solve the problem rather than to redesign the entire project. Director of Capital Improvements Ash stated that Mr. William Fitch requested that the Council consider the inclusion of the thirteen foot center-turn lane in the design of the roadway. Councilman McIlhaney asked if the new proposal encompasses the entire length of the project. Director of Capital Improvements Ash replied affirmatively. Councilman Bond, referring to the original design plans of the roadway, asked how far off of the right-of-way line was to be lo- cated the improved portion of street on the north side. Mr. Rick Robertson, representing Walton and Associates, stated that it was SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1985 PAGE 3 seventy feet to the shoulder and eighty feet to the improved sur- face. Councilman Bond asked if in considering the new design of the roadway the difference in alignment is taken up on the north side. Mr. Ned Walton, Walton and Associates, stated that the difference from the alignment of the centerline in the original design and the new design is twenty-seven feet. Councilman Bond, referring to the original design plans of the roadway, asked how far off the right-of-way line was to be lo- cated the improved portion of the street on the south side. Mr. Robertson stated that the improved portion of the roadway would be twenty-three feet from the right-of-way line on the south side. Councilman Bond questioned if in the eighty feet of right-of-way on the north side of the roadway there is located a gas pipeline, in addition to many caverns and gullies. Mr. Robertson replied affirmatively. Councilman Bond stated that his questioning was aimed at the potential inequities of assessing property owners eighty feet away from the roadway separated by pipelines and gul- lies. City Attorney Locke asked if the proposed project would involve any land acquisition for utilities. Director of Capital Improve- ments Ash replied negatively, noting that all the utilities have been installed~ however, Mr. Fitch would be constructing a sewer- line in a thirty foot utility easement he has agreed to dedicate to the city at a later date. City Attorney Locke questioned whether there was potential for Mr. Fitch to request an offset on the value of the paving assess- ment. Mr. Fitch replied that he gives easements all the time and stated that he has agreed to give a total of fifty feet on the south side, a proposed thirty feet easement for sewer and a pre- viously dedicated twenty foot easement for water. Mr. Fitch displayed diagrams of the original design and the pro- posed design for Green's Prairie Road. He explained his recom- mendation for the design of the roadway, noting that it includes a thirteen foot center-turn lane the entire length of the proj- ect. He pointed out that with the addition of the center-turn lane the roadway will serve the area more effectively and enable it to handle the traffic flow for approximately twenty-five years before any additional work is necessary. He compared the current situation with that encountered with FM 2818 in the area of Southwood Valley. He encouraged the Council to support favorably the proposed design of Green's Prairie Road including the thir- teen foot center-turn lane. He stated that the amount of funds necessary to complete the addition of the center-turn lane is SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1985 PAGE 4 approximately $207,000.00, the cost of 9100 feet of thirteen foot pavement. After further discussion, Councilman McIlhaney asked if the proj- ect would have to be rebid if the proposed changes are approved. City Attorney Locke stated that the statute says that if the cost exceeds twenty-five percent of the original cost the project must be rebid. City Manager Bardell noted that alleviating the problem encoun- tered with the gas pipeline would involve the following items: (1) changing the roadway sections in the area of the gas pipe- line; (2) moving the roadway to the south; (3) eliminating the six major drainage structures; and, (4) changing the grades to reflect the drainage changes. He pointed out that these repre- sent significant changes in the project; therefore, the matter was brought to Council for further consideration. Director of Capital Improvements Ash distributed and explained to the Council several diagrams of the project. He stated that the proposal presented to Council represents a substantial change from the original proposal and requested direction from the Coun- cil on how to proceed with design of the project. Councilman Bond asked a question concerning the procedures for rebidding the project. City Engineer Pullen suggested that in order to utilize the bid price of the present contract the city could issue a change order to delete a certain number of feet from the last part of the project, a number that would exceed the statute limit, and then rebid that portion of the project. Assistant City Manager VanDever stated that under the statute if a change order is over twenty-five percent of the total contract it would only require approval by the contractor. Councilman Brown asked what is the status of the large concrete culverts that are constructed on the project. Mr. Ned Walton stated that there are four in place that would not be usable. Councilman Bond questioned whether there is a possibility that this roadway will ever be developed as a loop. City Manager Bardell replied affirmatively. Dr. J.E. Marsh Jr., owner of property abutting Green's Prairie Road, noted that the construction being done on the roadway has created a severe drainage problem on his property. He questioned what changes in drainage construction are being proposed. He asked what the assessment to the abutting property will be if the proposed changes in the design of the roadway are approved. SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1985 PAGE 5 Director of Capital Improvements Ash stated that the proposed change in the design would result in an assessable cost back to the abutting properties of $78.00 compared to the original design which would have resulted in an assessable cost back to the abut- ting properties of approximately $51.00. City Engineer Pullen addressed Dr. Marsh's question concerning drainage. He explained that in the proposed design of the proj- ect the only water that would drain onto his property would be across Highway 6, noting that no water would drain from the south across Green's Prairie Road onto his property. Mayor Halter stated that the staff has requested direction from the Council on how to proceed with the project, whether to con- tinue with the original design or to begin work on the proposed design, which incorporates a thirteen foot center-turn lane. Councilman McIlhaney stated her opinion that there is some valid- ity in constructing the center-turn lane if the cost for the project remains at approximately $200,000.00. She pointed out that it is better to construct it now rather than to go back and have to construct it in the next several years. She requested that the staff prepare more definite cost estimates on the pro- posed changes, to provide a better idea of what the assessable cost back to the abutting property will be. The Council concurred. Dr. Marsh asked if any owners of property abutting Green's Prai- rie had been contacted to determine how acceptable the proposal is to them. Councilman McIlhaney stated that there would be a public hearing before the assessment was levied. Mayor Halter requested City Attorney Locke to review the statutes to determine whether or not the project would have to be rebid if the proposed changes are approved. A~enda Item No. 2 - Adjourn. Mayor Halter adjourned the meeting at 6:25 P.M. Gary Hal Mayor ATTEST: Dian J~__~S~ City Secretary GUEST REGISTER Special City Council Meeting Wednesaay, September 18, 1985 5=00 p.m. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 005252