Public Works, Sewer and Water

CITY OF VERONA MINUTES PUBLIC WORKS/SEWER & WATER COMMITTEE MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2019 1. The meeting was called to order by Mr. Kemp at 5:15pm. 2. Roll Call: Present: Chad Kemp, and Sarah Gaskell. Also present: Theran Jacobson, Public Works Director; Adam Sayre, Interim City Administrator; Katherine Holt, Community Development Specialist; Fred DeVillers, FDG; Bill Dunlop, JSD; Thomas Torro, JSD. 3. MOVED by Kemp, seconded by Gaskell, to approve the minutes of the February 11, 2019 meeting of the Public Works/Sewer and Water Committee. Motion carried 2-0. 4. Discussion regarding insurance claim at 308 Valley View St. The Public Works/Sewer and Water Committee may convene in a closed session, as authorized by Wisconsin Statute 19.85(1)(g), for the purpose of conferring with legal counsel for the governmental body who is rendering oral or written advice concerning strategy to be adopted by the body with respect to litigation in which it is or is likely to become involved. The Public Works/Sewer and Water Committee may reconvene in an open session to discuss and take action on the subject matter discussed in the closed session. MOVED by Kemp, seconded by Gaskell, to convene in a closed session for discussion. On roll call: Gaskell – Aye; Kemp – Aye. Motion carried 2-0. The Public Works Sewer and Water Committee convened in closed session at 5:18 p.m. Sayre, Holt, Montpas, and Jacobson remained for the closed session. Open session was reconvened at 5:22 pm. Evan Touchett arrived 5:24pm. 5. Discussion and action regarding Whispering Coves subdivision. Jacobson presented where Whispering Coves is located. Jacobson stated that the topics for discussion are terrace widths, right-of-way widths, intersection dimensions, and cul-de-sac medians. Touchett has concerns with storm water management facilities and where the water will flow. Another concern is pedestrian crashes, which Jacobson has requested crash data for the City of Verona from 2014 to 2018. Gaskell has concerns with the severity of crashes versus the speed. She wanted feedback about the school site for this area from Verona Area School District as well as a 3-D rendering of Whispering Coves. Jacobson stated that no one expected the 3-D rendering of the site to the presented this evening. Jacobson pointed out that the terrace width would work with 8 feet from back of curb (at the street) to sidewalk, which is the proper measurement. All of the cross-sections from the developer are a minimum of 6 feet for the terrace and not 8 feet. Gaskell commented that based on the current snow, 6 feet is not going to be wide enough for a terrace based on the public calls that she is receiving regarding snow storage. Bill Dunlop, JSD Professional Services, replied that a minimum of 6 feet allows for meandering walkways. The 80 foot right-of-way road cross-sections have 13.5 foot terrace. The cul-de-sacs contain a minimum of 6 feet for the terrace. Touchett stated that the cul-de-sacs are the ones that need snow storage the most for a wider terrace. Why are you (developers) not doing it for the width of the terraces? Fred DeVillers, Forward Development Group, replies that a wider terrace would not fit, but proposed to place snow storage in the cul-de-sac bulbs. If the cul-de-sacs are shrunk, the cul-de-sac may not meet the required fire truck turning radius. The overall geometry of the property will not fit everything that is wanted inside of it. All of the elements that are being proposed will not fit due to grading and widths for the roadways. The engineers and surveyors cannot get wider terraces and wider roads to work. The development has lost 50 lots from the initial design. Jacobson presented a figure that notes in different colors the cross-section widths on the developer’s phasing map. The main streets A, R, and B are 40 feet face to face, which is acceptable. The green and red lines on the map represent 32 feet face to face with 60 feet and 66 feet of right-of-way, which are a concern. Kemp asked where the extra two feet for the terraces would occur. DeVillers stated that the extra two feet for the terraces would come from the lots. He pointed out that the mass majority of the streets are 10-12 foot wide range for the terraces. The majority of the lots that would be impacted by a wider terrace are in cul-de-sacs. Touchett replied that a different way to state this is that only 5 percent of the lots would be the ones affected. Dunlop stated that 66 feet of right-of-way with 40 feet of pavement is for Streets A, B, & R and these have a 7 foot terrace. Cul-de-sacs have a 6 foot terrace. Hemlock Drive has a 10 foot terrace; however, 66 feet of right-of- way and an 11 foot terrace are typically done for most of the residential streets. The main residential streets contain 66 feet of right-of-way with 32 feet of pavement and have an 8 foot wide terrace. The drawings from JSD show a 6 foot minimum terrace even though the sidewalks are meandering in the terraces. The sidewalks will be in the right-of-way not in easements. Streets A and B have room to meander. Jacobson stated that the pavement width for Hemlock Drive needs to be 44 feet face to face as previously discussed with Staff numerous times. Dunlop replied that Hemlock Drive is tapering down to 40 feet face to face, but will verify that the width matches to the next intersection. Gaskell asked how the meandering would work as we have 6 feet of terrace for a certain distance and then the terrace would widen. Dunlop replied that JSD discussed with Sayre, Holt, and Jacobson on December 2018 about the meandering sidewalk with a minimum terrace of 6 feet. These parties all agreed to the 6 feet. Sayre replied that the Public Works Sewer and Water Committee recommended on February 11, 2019 for a minimum terrace width of 8 feet, which is after the December meeting. Kemp mentioned that the sheets and drawings should have the actual terrace widths shown. Gaskell asked if there were visuals for the meandering sidewalks. Typically, sidewalks should be more direct instead of meandering as people are trying to get from point A to B especially near the school. It is an amenity to have a meandering sidewalk until all the snow is in their driveway. Touchett stated that he wants a minimum of an 8 foot wide grassed terrace. Kemp stated that he likes this project with the larger lots and different building sizes. Does changing the terrace width from 6 feet to 8 feet cause problems? DeVillers replied that JSD would have to look into the setback requirements to verify they can be met. The smallest diameter for the cul-de-sac bulb is 76 feet. He pointed out that that the cul-de-sacs are one-way streets with wider distances between driveways than what is typically in a cul-de-sac in the City. The mailboxes are not located inside the terraces as individual mailboxes, but will be ganged mailboxes. Jacobson noted that Pollow Road is buried with snow right now in the center of the cul-de-sac bulb island. Cabrillo Court is another one with snow inside the cul-de-sac bulb island. Typically, the City pushes more snow than we haul out. Gaskell asked the applicant if they are fine with a 6 foot terrace for the cul-de-sac and push snow inside the bulb of the cul-de-sac. This might be the trade-off for allowing a 6 foot wide terrace and not having a park in the bulb. Touchett asked if there were walking paths through the cul-de-sacs. He wants 66 feet of right-of-way unless otherwise stated. He has concerns regarding the total number of water ponds and the maintenance associated with them. DeVillers replied that the paths were removed from internal to the cul-de-sac bulbs, but sidewalks were placed around the outside of the bulbs. Dunlop discussed the storm water ponds. The volume of pond is driven by the regulations for a closed kettle and the topography. We have to hold water in one spot and infiltrate it to another spot. Dunlop referenced a drawing that listed out the ponds with identification numbers. Ponds 8 and 10 are connected by a pipe and the green space between the two ponds is the trails. The entire back to back Capital Area Regional Plan Commission  (CARPC) requirement is held in the natural conservancy park vicinity. We have consolidated basins as much as possible. Pond 5 is a large complex. Ponds 2, 4, and 7 collect water from off-site. Dunlop discussed where the water is getting pumped to various sites. Everything will run down the east-west path. Touchett asked if there are redundancies built into the system. Dunlop replied that yes there are redundancies. One pump runs at a time unless there is a need (i.e. emergency situations) to run both at the same time. There will be an electric source and a generator as a second power source. Water would be pumped from west of pond 4 through pond 7. The payment of the pump will be determined in the developer’s agreement. Jacobson expressed his concern regarding pond 2 and the ability to get adequate access to get to the pond for maintenance. The City would need direct access via the green area and ensure that there is adequate space. Sayre replied that Staff has no interest in operating or paying for the water feature or pump. Dunlop commented that the road to the school will move south a bit. The school would move south and the lots currently located in the south would move to the north. This change will be submitted Thursday, February 28, 2019. Street F, which abuts the school, has 32 feet of pavement with 66 feet of right-of-way. Touchett is concerned that there will be lots of cars parking on-street with lots of traffic. The road by the schools seems narrow especially with on-street parking. The City could do alternate side parking, which is a terrible idea as all will want to have parking on both side of the street. Gaskell asked how much parking will be required on-site. Has the school boundary area been determined? This would help to determine how buses and students will arrive to the school as well as if there is enough room from CTH PD. She discussed parking for other schools and what is allowed such as New Century. Sayre stated that the school will meet the parking requirements, but the after school events will be the problem or PTO evening events. Glacier Edge is the last school approved and met the requirements; however, the parking design is a horrible design. Bus drop-off and a big lot is the ideal design. Tomas Torro, JSD Professional Services, discussed the elementary school in Waunakee and how the traffic flow functions, which is located on a narrow residential street. Jacobson stated that the school should be located on a major collector. The school road should have 8 foot wide terraces at a minimum with parking restrictions. A minimum of 66 feet of right-of-way should occur throughout the property. MOVED by Touchett to direct the developer to establish a minimum 8 foot grass terrace from back of curb to sidewalk and a 66 foot minimum right-of-way. Gaskell asked what the right-of-ways are for Streets G through H and J through L. The drawings should 62 feet of right-of-way. Why would we need a minimum of 66 feet of right-of-way for these roads? No action taken. MOVED by Gaskell, seconded by Kemp, for an 8 foot minimum terrace. Motion carried 3-0. MOVED by Touchett, seconded by Kemp, for a minimum of 66 feet of right-of-way unless larger roads require a greater width. Opposed by Gaskell. Motion carried 2-1. 6. MOVED by Touchett, seconded by Kemp, to adjourn at 6:17 p.m. Motion carried 3-0.