City of Portsmouth, New Hampshire Public Works, 28 Jun 2022

Previous Meeting Next Meeting

⏯

youtube image

►

From YouTube: 6.28.2022 Willard Avenue Sewer Separation Project

Description

6.28.2022 Willard Avenue Sewer Separation Project

A

A

It's definitely.

A

A

The good news is, I can see the screen.

A

Great, thank you eric thanks dad. Where were you last night.

A

I thought I was the only one who didn't see it. You were a panelist last night.

B

All right just remind you to speak into microphones.

C

Hello, I'm zachary cronin assistant city, engineer.

C

For portsmouth, thank you for coming to the willard ave reconstruction project.

C

uh If people have not yet signed in, I do request please sign in before you leave.

B

Next time so introductions, I'm.

B

Zach curran assistant city engineer, I'm here with terry damaris, the city engineer.

B

Phil corbett of cna engineering, our consultant and dave fosus, our construction engineering.

D

That includes the city staff, the engineering consultants and the stakeholders being residents.

C

In the area who will be affected by construction I'll hand it over to phil corbett now from cma.

C

So right, tonight's, our second public meeting for the willard avenue reconstruction project.

C

So we're going to review a couple of things that we went over the first time uh and describe a.

C

Little bit what we've been working on today and present the conceptual designs we took some of.

C

The feedback from the public meeting we've been working with city staff and been working through.

C

The design issues to develop some conceptual layouts for the roadways sidewalks curbing.

C

Utilities uh then talk a little bit about what uh the next steps are in our schedule and then.

C

Get any feedback so we'll have this presentation tonight we have some people in the audience. Some.

C

People on zoom and then this will be posted on the city's website. So you, if you can't see.

C

Planes or anything you can zoom in and look at them on your own screen. So tonight right.

C

Primarily to present the conceptual design and get some feedback on that and then talk about what.

C

We're doing uh next for our next steps, so primary purposes of the project to replace the utilities.

C

uh Replace the water mains and services to remains and separate the water, sewer and storm drainage.

C

And provide new storm drainage and generally improve storm water collection and drainage.

C

Throughout the project area uh incorporate some what we call low-impact development stormwater.

C

Treatment so there'll be some devices that will capture stormwater and provide some water quality.

C

Treatment before we discharge them downstream into the drainage system and then, of course,.

C

Reconstruct, after all, the utilities and drainage are done, the streets and sidewalks and add new.

C

uh Curbing and then yeah unique to this section is the um odor issues on willard ave. So.

C

Between utility upgrades and a couple, other approaches address that issue.

C

So we're completed a date. We.

C

Did basement surveys so worked with a sub consultant that went into most people's homes and.

C

We're able to collect information, so we can best plan the utility connections and understand who.

C

Has sump pumps and who needs strain connections and those things. So that was helpful if we did 65.

C

Surveys within this project area completed the geotechnical investigation, so that was the boring.

C

So we could understand where there's ledge and what the subsurface soil conditions are like.

C

Review the treaties: there are a lot of very nice trees within the project area. A lot of.

C

It's a great resource and we want to understand how to best work, that into the design and then.

C

Develop the conceptual drainage utility designs and the roadways, streetscape concept, designs.

C

So right tree review.

C

As I mentioned, there's a lot of nice trees within the corridor and that was.

C

Some of the feedback we've got at the last public meeting and since the public meeting.

C

Was uh just concerns with the impacts of trees and it is impossible to replace all the utilities.

C

Reconstruct the road and add or replace sidewalks without any impacts to trees. But we did our.

C

Best to balance the layout of the room with the sidewalks narrowed up some things, uh some sections.

C

uh And we're able to work around some other areas, so we reviewed this with the arborist and assess.

C

The value of the trees right in general yup, so certainly there are some that are you know. Thirty.

C

Year old, trees that are unique species and aren't sure to try to get back to something like that.

C

It's difficult so that has a little bit more value, but some some other trees that are there's.

C

Actually, some invasive species and other things that are more easily replaced so consider that in.

C

The layout we'll take a look at that a little bit more detail. um What we heard at the first public.

C

Meeting was there were concerns about the order issues. Some willard abs, particularly some some.

C

People just down from lafayette road, uh consider the balance of new sidewalks. So we you know.

C

This is the opportunity to add sidewalks and that's the typical approach with these projects.

C

Is upgrading sidewalks ada compliant providing a nice five and a half foot concrete sidewalk that.

C

Can be maintained and is ada accessible, um but we want to consider that with the demand, uh the.

C

Traffic volumes and speeds and the impacts that it has onto trees and yards and other things. So we.

C

Endeavor to do that and then uh you know this is a comprehensive list, but kind of.

C

The high points of some of the issues is addressed the drainage issues, and that is.

C

Kind of a snowy picture that was the day after the public meeting it rained and that snowed so.

C

I saw the drainage issues that kind of connect between orchard and ash street.

C

Along the back of people's houses, there trying to accommodate that as well as some other.

C

Issues with water coming off the hill from south street onto ash street and the intersection ash.

C

Street some of those catch basins not functioning as well as they could so consider those issues.

C

And um work to incorporate it into our design. uh So with that proposed typical sections, we.

C

Have for the roadways and again, if you can't see well here, you can always grab it on the that's.

C

But generally willard avenue will be uh 32 feet carpet, curb, which is the same.

C

Section that um was previously improved a few years ago uh down to marston.

C

And it will have a grass strip on both sides that will vary in width generally there's uh reasonably.

C

Wide right way, so there's there's room to do improvements and try to work the sidewalk around.

C

Existing trees and maintain those trees as best we can, then ash street will be significantly narrower.

C

In hopes of not of limiting the impacts to both there's nice trees on both sides of the road.

C

There, and as well as having one side, a sidewalk on the north side, that would be without a grass.

C

Strip just to really try to limit the overall section and from the effects of the improvements.

C

Yeah right and there's a couple driveways there that.

C

It would be difficult to park in the driveway without extending out to the sidewalk.

C

And then for orchard street you know there's kind of the two sections there once you.

C

Get past ash on the west side of ash it narrows up and that's what we're going to maintain.

C

That can accommodate what it needs to. Today. We are going to plan for a sidewalk through that section.

C

But it would be attached again to limit some of those impacts and then the section.

C

That is the worst of ash. um Yep would be 28 foot curved curve, so a little bit narrower than we were.

C

Thinking originally, we would there's the sidewalk that's on the uh west north side that we would.

C

Maintain and prove make a continuous sidewalk from marston down to ash street, but we eliminated the.

C

Sidewalk on the other side, because the impacts that had and looking at considering the overall.

C

Pedestrian demand and particular traffic through there and then there's also several homes and.

C

Some multi-family homes that kind of parked half within the right-of-way half in their.

C

Yard and pull up driveways there, so we looked at accommodating that with a mountable curb so it'd.

C

Be something that would help with stormwater collection and drainage, but would be easily.

C

Driven up on and parked over so that you can maintain those parking spots. So with that, that's.

C

The overall layout and uh and you're welcome to come, take a look at the plan after the meeting.

C

You can take a look at it and folks at home. Can you zoom in on that online, but generally sidewalks.

C

On both sides of willard grass strips for most sections, except for the very first part, willard.

C

And we've shown on here kind of three levels of tree impact, so green trees.

C

We're pretty optimistic can be accommodated with a layout uh and then there's some orange trees.

C

I think on here that uh we would that are close to improvements and need to consider.

C

And monitor during construction, I don't know if we haven't seen we have. I think we have.

C

Green and red on this project, so I think we have a few trees that we know are taking out.

C

That will be directly impacted by improvements or otherwise the city wants to take down for.

C

Other issues under power lines or something else, and then the green trees were optimistic.

C

Can be maintained and saved after construction project and that's most of them. We did a lot to.

C

Reconfigure things to try to save a lot of the trees.

C

uh But yeah and then you can see the sidewalk layout on orchard. On one side we switched over as.

C

You get past ash and uh and then none on the south side of the road between marston and ash street.

C

And right, the purple is the sidewalk layout and then on ash street. It would be on the north side.

C

Of the road attached, the road right there and the limits of that sidewalk, the roadway are pretty.

C

Much the limits of the pavement today, so the roadway section would actually be narrowed up a.

C

Little bit, but we add the sidewalk in there excuse me: do you mind addressing the three properties.

D

On orchard street, it's a little left of ash we're looking at it. I count five crease.

D

Right hold that plate right up right there right above you yeah, no there's, uh there's.

C

Several right there, you know, there's five trees, 155, that's two of them. Two major trees.

D

Planted by the city, arborist attended, patilvis crowds. Yes, we are showing they're all green.

D

And the three trees that are beside that planet- let's say more recently.

D

uh They are intending on being state they're going to be kept also when they're green they're.

D

Tuesday, okay, now I'm looking at this, I'm sorry, I did not bring my regular class.

D

But on the other side is that, where you're putting a sidewalk, yes, the other side of the.

D

Street, yes, now I'm not a representative right now, but I've spoken to seven out of eight people.

D

In this area right now- and they do not want a sidewalk in that area, simply because of the nature.

D

Of the road itself, I think you kind of elaborated it's a very, very awkward streak, to say the least.

D

I'm a retired engineer, I know what it's going to take in order to accommodate that work. There.

D

But we are concerned about the character and over those places there all of us basically live there.

D

Some people all of their life I've been there since the mid 90s.

D

My neighbors 10 years across the street 30, so there's all inherent.

D

What do you call it familiarity and you know so that's more or less. Why I'm here tonight.

D

Just do what you guys are going to do. We want to work with you and all of that, because I know.

D

The problems that we have managed because I've sat up in my living room. I live at 155.

D

And I've been able to look out my front window and I've seen robots go down wheelchair.

D

During a bad rate- and so I know that it needs some type of remediation, etc,.

D

There's a long time, it's been a long time coming quite honestly, but it's just.

D

This is like this is a very proud and commoditive neighborhood, so they want. I think people want.

D

That joints that character as much as you possibly can within the confines of doing.

D

What's important for the community and this particular area for an engineering standpoint.

D

So we're going to talk about that a little bit. Let's finish the presentation.

C

And then we'll uh we'll go into those individual issues, because we do have some ideas regarding.

C

The specific spot- yes, thank you, uh so I think that's it unless yeah, that's it for the roadway.

C

Layout uh and then just touching on right, some of the stormwater improvements so they'll.

C

You know we're constrained by trying to fit things within the right of way in the right way.

C

We have had success with some kind of urban stormwater management and.

C

Best management practices uh that would be incorporated into the project to treat stormwater.

C

Before we discharge it into the drainage system, so that'll be some of those types of techniques.

C

And right, so this is the conceptual utility layout, so you can see we're replacing well.

C

You probably can't see from here, but I'll describe it to you, uh we're replacing water main.

C

um From where it ended um yep and from there on a willard from lafayette to there on uh ash street.

C

On the section that's north of willard that hasn't been replaced. The other section had been replaced.

C

More recently and then throughout orchard and then obviously the sewer.

C

Main would be reconfigured and separated from the drainage and that's the major.

C

Trunk line that feeds lafayette pump stations so considering that and likely that's related to some.

C

Of the drainage issues or the voter issues uh and then right adding all new closed strange system.

C

Including extending that up to ash street uh so that we can accommodate some of those issues there.

C

Ahead of the intersection and up the hill a little bit, so that's the blue, just so yeah.

C

You are not included you, you have gotten recent utility replacements, you're, not getting new.

C

Utilities now well, I know I had an issue a couple of years ago and the water line just kept breaking.

C

Like first, I broke close to my house and then they try to fix it and then a little further.

C

Down and look further down, this is horrible. Okay, yeah, no we'll confirm that's the situation, but.

C

That hadn't been part of the plan right now so we'll have to which house is it? 28, 20.

C

Yeah next one so right, willard have order issues so right, certainly separating the sewer and drain.

C

Will be important, but that's we don't think the primary cause of the issues in individual homes.

C

But likely upsizing the pipe from what is now 15 inch to 24 inch will help as.

C

It accommodates, you know, will accommodate the flows from the pump station much better.

C

As well as we're considering a potential vent where the lafayette road forcing discharges.

C

Into a manhole in lafayette road, so we could help prevent that prior to heading down willard avenue.

C

And then we'll have to consider a firm that does what it needed to do. Post construction.

C

C

So preliminary uh working through uh we'll incorporate comments from this conceptual.

C

Layout work through the preliminary designs for the summer and then move into the final.

C

Design details through the fall, and then you know we're designing this conjunction with the project.

C

Which is under ebay consent decrease that has required deadlines. We have to see how this works.

C

With budgets and constraints and scheduling and other sufficiencies and putting them both out.

C

And how that best works, but we haven't gotten to schedule the exact plan for construction start yet.

C

um Right so there's a website specific to the project on the city's website. So if you've looked.

C

At the city's public works website and look for the projects there is the uh union will.

C

Our app store separation project we'll have this posted here, there's a there's: a link to sign up.

C

Students for uh email notifications, so we can send stuff out um and get any other feedback.

C

And with that, I think we've gotten through everything we'll be happy to take some comments.

E

Hi, thank you for having us on and doing this virtually. I really appreciate it.

E

um I just want to say thanks for putting this all together and putting images to what you're.

E

Talking about it's really helpful, I live on the corner of willard and ash and I have two young.

E

Kids and I'm thrilled to see the sidewalks. um I know that we're certainly struggling with.

E

Some of our tighter streets, and so we want to be thoughtful about not encroaching on people's yards.

E

um But also for the safety of the kids and having places to walk and and.

E

Be where the cars kind of can come quickly through, I'm thankful to see those. So thank.

E

You so much and being thoughtful about our trees. Thank you. Thank you.

B

Any other comments from zoom.

F

Okay, go ahead: hello, I'm kate, hayden! I live at one ash street on the corner of ash and.

G

And uh kind of near emily as well, and I just I wanted to make sure you guys- knew that ash street.

G

Also has an odor issue, so I'm not sure when you say the willard order issue. It um absolutely comes.

G

Down to our street too, um so I just wanted to make sure that was that was known. Yes, we believe.

C

That uh the work we're doing to eliminate the odor issue along uh willard would help farther up and.

C

Along the line as well- okay because it travels around- you know like because I'm on the corner.

G

Of orchard and ash- and so it it's kind of all of these streets um that have a that sewer scent.

G

Yeah yeah and um just one more thing in terms of the sidewalks.

G

We're still out on how we feel about the sidewalks, so it was certainly very helpful to see the design.

G

And um I'm just wondering on a street like ash street that is so small and at this.

G

Point it's a pretty wide street, so um I don't think the impacts would be huge on anyone's.

G

Property, but I'm just wondering what the thoughts were a little bit. Maybe you couldn't speak to.

G

What what the impacts or, if, if you really think there would be an improvement by adding a sidewalk.

G

On yeah we're trying to interconnect the neighborhood and on that particular section of.

D

Road, what we were thinking is the sidewalk would actually go where some of the asphalt is today.

D

No, no loss of green space on either side of the street yeah. It would just be just narrow.

D

The street up a little bit it's a little too wide, and that would create room to have that sidewalk.

D

And that walking space throw it into character. Okay, thank you.

B

H

Hi, um I I want to confirm, can you guys hear me? Yes, we can? Yes, okay, all right cool, um I'm the.

H

Owner property owner at 133 orchard street- and um I wanted to say uh thanks for uh having the.

H

Five trees, including my neighbor rick's, still in green there, because those are.

H

Quite impactful to the property and good good to keep those on the property. Thank you for that.

H

And I wanted to echo rick's concerns about adding a sidewalk onto the other.

H

Side of orchard street similar to what the issues he brought up because it gets quite.

H

Narrow, it's quite a quite an interesting turn as you go towards that that downhill.

H

Side there and I'm assuming that it's going to eat a little bit into the width of the road.

H

And a little bit into the properties to make it viable, but I just wanted to raise the same concern.

H

And you know as well as echo what I believe are the the thoughts of some of the other.

H

Owners along that other side, who will be impacted by that sidewalk ad.

H

But that those are the comments I had um the other. The other question I had.

H

um Is regarding, and I'm not sure, if you've gotten to this, the timeline impacts, um how how the.

H

Rollout is expected to go. Will there be a schedule um released to the the residents so that we can.

H

Kind of sort of manage parking or if we have any activities with people coming to the houses.

H

Things like that yeah we'll address all those types of issues when we have a pre-construction.

D

Meeting okay, so once we have a contractor on board we'll schedule, a reconstruction.

D

Meeting where we have, we meet the contractor and we go through the scheduling issues and.

D

Once we have a contractor they'll, let us know how they're going to build the project. We try not to.

D

Tell them how to do it. Yeah, of course they are generally the experts in construction. So we allow.

D

Them to have some leniency as long as they're, you know doing it in such a way that we're all.

D

Going to be happy with it, um so those types of issues will come up at the final meeting.

D

um Regarding the sidewalk, which has come up a couple of times with orchard, um so we were.

D

Looking we're out there right after the original meeting we had actually last month we're looking.

D

At the trees, we spent a long time looking at department in the area, so we noticed that.

D

Basically speaking, lafayette road is a bridge and all water drains down from lafayette.

D

Through all the yards and uh there's a bit of a of an area that is south of orchard street.

D

Right yeah first meeting were uh one of their principal comments was how much water.

H

Yeah that place is pretty yeah. It does take off one of our principal thoughts here in providing.

D

This sidewalk that you're talking you're talking about as well, is actually using that sidewalk.

D

As well as a dam to contain that water and then pick it up with the storm drain system,.

D

So that those yards that those people were concerned about will begin to dry out some.

D

So that is that's the principle reason why we're showing that sidewalk is because we wanted. We want.

D

To create some sort of dam so that that water is not freely running from your yard across the.

D

Road over that ledge across the road and then into through their yards and then down the hill.

D

Into the flat area that is awful, so that's one of the one of the principal key kind of design.

D

Thoughts that we had why we're putting that sidewalk in there is.

D

Not only is it accessibility, but it's actually a stormwater feature.

H

Okay, I'm not a structural engineer by any stretch.

H

But that that thematically makes sense um to me, but I just wanted to echo that just from.

H

Both an aesthetic and a functional concern from the residents across the street from me, some of.

H

Whom may not be on the call, but I wanted to make sure that uh their their thoughts uh were.

H

Represented you know some of the conversations that we've had in in tune with what rick.

H

Said, and also, honestly. Being that as my primary access um to to leave the property and go out to.

H

To lafayette road, it is really quite narrow and I'm wondering to what degree the plan includes.

H

Encroaching on the the current road with versus biting into people's properties, when you actually.

D

Stated verbally when you were originally talking, you actually hit it right on the head, where.

D

We were looking at maybe chewing up a 42, a road and a 42 yard to get that sidewalk. Okay,.

H

Okay, um yeah exactly right. You said that okay thanks, um I don't want to take up too.

H

Much more uh time, I've already made my points. um So if there's someone else, that would also.

H

Like to to comment, please give them the mic. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you and if anybody.

B

uh Anybody is in contact with the neighbors, who may or may not be on this call, and they want to.

B

Comment separately, they can send zach a message. Yes, my email is z, m, cronin city of portsmouth.com.

B

Which is on the presentation, which is also in the presentation, so can you bounce back to the utility.

F

Go ahead, justin hi, I'm sorry! This is actually um laney on justin's phone. So I am one of the.

F

Neighbors that I think steve was just talking about um and just wanted to sort of echo their.

F

Concerns, uh it's not ever been something that struck me as the necessity to have a sidewalk here.

F

um And I I guess yeah I want to lend my voice to the questioning of whether or not that's really.

F

Necessary, I would certainly prefer not to lose yard, and I think also um as steve raised the.

F

The parking situation wouldn't get any better, it's already quite narrow and I think.

F

Myself and some of the other neighbors on on this side of the street park on the street.

F

And it it doesn't, leave much I'm staring at it right now. It does doesn't leave much for.

F

Other parts about keenly aware of all these issues, we did quite a bit when we're doing this.

D

And, like I said the principle, the principal goal here was is to create um stormwater collection.

D

Possibilities um and do that in a creative way that will.

D

Actually enhance the property and make things better for your downhill, neighbors.

F

Yeah, okay, I don't think that necessarily changes. My my questioning of the necessity of a sidewalk.

F

um From a sort of, I guess, at least for me, a functional or aesthetic value on this side.

F

And um I think I missed uh the earlier section of the call. So forgive me if this has already.

F

Been gone over uh and rick probably raised it, but I definitely would be a proponent of not losing.

F

Any trees or minimizing sorry fighting a cold loss of trees. um You know, if possible,.

F

So yeah, I guess I just as as someone who would be directly impacted by this.

F

And a little bit questioning the necessity of the sidewalk versus what we would lose in space.

D

So we already went over the tree slide, but um very very few trees on this project. Back to the.

D

Trees, we went through the whole neighborhood with the city arborist and I believe the.

D

Only trees, we're losing are trees that are either unhealthy or trees. They're invasive.

C

There's some small ones species. Then a couple of small trees are right on that corner.

C

No but yeah, that's that's great comments and then certainly the feedback. We're looking for.

C

Is uh we want to know what people think of that layout and that is taken to heart? So I think.

C

You know there is a balance between providing overall connectivity throughout the city and.

C

Other people that don't live adjacent to it and providing some kind of accommodations for them.

C

And then, obviously the people that live there, that's the greatest impact is on you, so that.

C

That is a that is a large consideration when we look at how this will lay out laney may I comment.

D

Yeah uh sorry, what's that lady, can I just grab your your address before we forget.

F

Sure it's 152. orchard, thank you and just to maybe maybe and again, if I missed it in the beginning to.

F

Call it I'm sorry, but when you mention that this is for sort of connectivity for the rest of the.

F

City, it's this isn't this stretch in particular orchard doesn't really connect to anything.

C

Walking within the neighborhood right, not just I'm saying that there's neighbors and.

C

Other people throughout the neighborhood that may walk down orchard that you know, may benefit from a.

C

Sidewalk being off the roadway and kids and going to school, and things like that, so that's that's.

C

What I mean by certainly, you can walk this way if you're coming from marston, lincoln somewhere else.

C

Coming from that side of town and you're heading towards lafayette park or something else, you.

C

May walk downward sure? No! I walk it myself many times, so you can see on that that turn of orchard.

C

Those red trees at the left side that that's the reason we're looking at those as trees, that.

C

Will be eliminated is widening the road in that direction to accommodate the sidewalk. So it's.

C

Not an overall loss of width or narrowing really, so that's something we are trying to accommodate.

F

Gotcha, okay! Well, I'm happy to hand it over. I think just lending my voice to opinions.

D

The upside down l is created by orchard street and the intersection of willard. That is indicating.

D

A sidewalk all the way around there, my correct sir yeah, okay purple line, that is a sidewalk now.

D

I'm in sympathy with the people landing, especially with my neighbor and the other four people along.

D

Have you investigated purely by doing some type of a redirection or at least putting a.

D

Granite curving to accommodate cars and still yet cause the flow of water and drainage.

D

To go in a direction that you've looked at instead of solving it with something that's.

D

Three and a half feet wide, looking at something somewhere with about a foot, a foot and a half sir.

D

You know you know, because, honestly speaking, I my throat window in my office look at that street.

D

And it's a very popular place for people for our neighbors. They bring their dogs. I can't tell you.

D

My street, my house in front of my house, is the most popular potty outside of the.

D

Area over here by the school- and I don't want to take that away- I need to put water.

D

Out there until my lawyers get wrecked on food yeah, the fact of the matter is I just.

D

Haven't get kermit in place of that sidewalk there. I think everything would enhance the whole area.

D

And still accommodate what you're trying to do on a hydro stance. I think that makes an excellent.

D

Point I mean, I think, we've heard you I mean our first quality is to do a sidewalk. If you, if, if you.

D

Guys are all in favor of not having that sidewalk, then we'll simply take a look at that as long as.

D

We can still achieve our overall goal of creating some sort of mechanism to pick up that stormwater.

D

Absolutely yeah, so that's what I try to struggle on. We can be a little more creative.

D

And look at that a little more in depth, and certainly even that corner where the red tree.

D

Is I believe that that is uh an extremely old rhododendron in my memory? Certainly.

D

Or something at that corner and if you you narrow this sidewalk at that corner,.

D

You're going to even increase your arc for coming around because I can tell you right now.

D

Yeah, you can't come up that way with a significant truck and make a right turn to go downward.

D

We know that and that's why I mean that's why this is a correct subject: okay, yeah, because.

D

We have to show people something yeah so that they can comment them. If we come in here, we don't.

D

Have anything, then people don't know what to say because they don't know what's possible or what's.

D

What is not possible? I think I think you're going down the right register. I do I don't know about.

D

That, in my mind, we have uh we put an additional person on uh zoom, but before that I just wanted.

B

To let the people know that uh we're putting information in the chat that we are watching.

B

It looks like we've uh addressed the majority of the comments and questions in there. A lot of.

B

Them are reiterating the dialogue here about the sidewalks, so mr, mr mr or mrs collins,.

B

Should be able to speak, can you hear me? Yes? Yes, okay, sorry, we joined late because I thought it.

I

Was tomorrow, but um we live on one one, one willard ave and, as you can see our side, our driveway is on.

I

Ash street- and I was just wondering I can't really see from this picture- if the new sidewalk is it on.

I

What is now part of our driveway, or is it on the street side? Oh it's! It's part of what is.

D

Now asphalt street street, so our driveway will not be shortened exactly. Okay, that's nice and.

I

Ash street is super quiet and I don't know if other neighbors have spoken up yet, but.

I

uh Or what their opinion is, but is it really necessary to put a drive a sidewalk there.

I

It's a very nice wide street right now right. We felt that it really could be a little bit better.

D

Narrower street, with a sidewalk, so there's interconnectivity and again one of our major.

D

Goals here is try to is to try to collect and um and capture storm water efficiently, so that.

D

We can deal with some of the drainage issues in some of the side yards that we were told about.

D

So this is yet another mechanism to try to create areas to capture stormwater and put it into the.

D

Piping system, another uh reasoning of putting sidewalk onto ash is that lower section of ash.

C

The picture does have a sidewalk on that side of the road, so that was in continuation of the.

C

Sidewalk along ash street, so that was one of our considerations that we felt in general. It.

D

Made a lot of sense to put a sidewalk there as long as we can do it with his asphalt now.

D

So it's not impinging on anybody's perceived property rights. Okay, that's wonderful! Thank you.

B

B

Any other uh questions or comments from folks on zoom.

B

J

Hi, can you hear me yes? Yes, I good my um my zoom uh prompts don't seem to be.

J

uh Performing as I would like them to so, I have put some of my um comments in the chat section.

J

And I understand that you've been monitoring them, so I'm actually in agreement with those who have.

J

Raised concerns about orchard street, and I raised these concerns in the first meeting as well. I.

J

Would echo that that first turn left turn onto orchard street is um is narrow and that corner.

J

Is um is very narrow and I'm concerned about safety if we narrow it further with a sidewalk.

J

So going up and around there as rick pointed out, I wasn't thinking about trucks, but I approach my.

J

Home, sometimes from there just to see what it's like and one has to be very careful.

J

I'm home all day and um and there really is no automobile traffic other.

J

For those who live there or have people visiting them there or are having work done at their homes,.

J

And the people who do walk, um am I correct, can you can you refresh my memory as to what the width.

J

Is that would be needed for a sidewalk proposed sidewalk would be five and a half feet wide.

C

Five and a half feet is that and does that include the grass area and the curbing in this case.

C

Yes, it would be right up against the curb. There would be uh no grass strip on this section. So.

J

All right and what's the maintenance um of of the sidewalks does the city.

J

Maintain the sidewalks during the winter well right now we don't because they're not.

D

Wide enough in these spots, they're actually not wide enough to first maintain, but we're hoping.

D

For inspirational that these sidewalks will give me a taste all right, but not now.

J

So that means that if there were sidewalks, they wouldn't serve anybody in the wintertime.

J

But when it's when there's snow, unless the residents um shovel it shovel the sidewalks.

D

Yeah, I'm not sure, that's what I said um if the city doesn't maintain them and there's a snowstorm.

J

Then the snow isn't cleared. You know what I said. It says we have a list of sidewalks that.

D

We maintain regularly regularly at it's the first whack that we do every time, so the sidewalks on.

D

Latvia, road through the sidewalks on south street they're, the sidewalks by the schools and then we.

D

Have a second tier of sidewalks that we do after the fact. So after the snow event, we go around.

J

And we start clearing out the stumble on the side streets, so this should be in that category.

J

So I do have a concern and I understand that and I appreciate that the main streets, um the sidewalks.

J

Are cleared because those are the ones that are used so um so I um so thank you for clarifying.

J

That it would be five and a half feet. I also am concerned about the people who need to park.

J

On the street and again at that real tight corner of orchard street, um it's precarious.

J

Coming around the corner and taking anything away from the street is going to make it more. We.

J

Precarious you vicki, um can you can we please get your address, sure 88 orchard street 88? Thank you.

B

Any other comments vicky or is that it? No my my comment is: it sounds like those who are speaking.

J

Have concerns about the sidewalks and I don't want to speak for all my neighbors, the neighbors.

J

To whom I've talked about, certainly there? um I think I've talked to one person on orchard street.

J

Who is okay with the sidewalk on one side, the other neighbors I've talked to across the street.

J

And it sounds like more neighbors here have um are voicing um real concerns about having sidewalks on.

J

A a street that really is not used as a pass-through- it's not used by I'm here all day.

J

I promise you and my dog barks every time somebody goes by so you know if you need somebody to keep.

J

Track of the traffic just to um uh validate, you know the the need for it or not. um I'm your guy.

D

Vicki just see you understand, you know the sidewalks flying across the street right yeah. Yes,.

J

And I'm not really concerned about my. It doesn't matter whether it's my front yard or somebody.

J

Else's front yard, that's not you know, that's not my concern. It's the overall concern for my street.

J

And the people who live on my street- and I don't have children.

J

Or grandchildren, but I see the people who um who you know, use the um street to walk.

J

Their children and three and a half feet is not necessarily going to accommodate a dog, a stroller.

J

And two adults so they're still going to be walking on the street.

C

Just saying just saying: yeah yeah, so I think vicki sorry just to clear up so there will be.

C

Sidewalk from marston to ash street, I think that is certainly warranted and in demand and there's.

C

Sections that are there now and that is needed to provide connectivity throughout the neighborhoods.

C

And that's a five and a half foot sidewalk and it would have a grass strip between the curve and.

C

I think the consideration is between ash as you get around the narrow corner of orchard.

C

uh Whether that is a sidewalk, that's attached to the road or not, so I think certainly there's.

C

A demand and a need for sidewalk on the section between ash and marston and then the question is.

C

Are we considering eliminating the sidewalk and the rest of orchard on the east of ash street.

J

Correct and I agree with marston to ash yeah uh will locker library vibrate? Yes, sorry, yeah.

J

Yeah, uh well, I'm not going to speak to um because I haven't talked to neighbors that are right. There.

J

um uh So I'm not going to speak and even that's not traveled from um from willard avenue.

J

To ash street, um the only people that I see coming and going are those who live on ash orchard.

J

They're just trying to get from one place to another again orchards, not ash to orchard, is not.

J

um A pass through and um except to get to orchard street. Yes, thank you. Thank you.

B

Yeah the comments from the zoom audience.

C

Do you have any other comments from those here in person.

C

Yeah, you have a.

C

Are there, are they gonna be on the street or not street lights or lights?.

B

Because there's currently street lights, oh.

C

229 wheeler there, which actually my wife and her sister um we're the first house.

A

That actually gets a run off of lafayette and then we're almost across my house went for a.

C

Little over a million dollars, so you know water comes right down into that area and before.

C

Certain construction was done in that area. Last year there was a drain there. Now we don't have.

C

Last year,.

C

uh See I'm here at 229. Yes, if you go up like that, don't find it.

D

Well, there wasn't right there at one time. I don't know.

D

We haven't taken any drinks away from there. I believe in the way he's referring to the house.

D

Built on lafayette road, no, I'm gonna! Let you.

D

So you have to understand that the street that you live on today is not an engineered street.

D

Not nothing water trucks, it was, it was laid out sure it was in. You know there were. There were.

D

Drains that were installed and then and then there was plumbing there was installed houses that were.

D

Then connected to the storm drains, so the street that we're going to build is a fully engineered.

D

Street that's built to take slow water and should hopefully fix the the issues of the two principal.

D

Issues we started is first of all, first and foremost is collecting the stormwater that.

D

Falls on the road, but also it seems that this area is more or less a valley between south street and.

D

Lafayette road, both of which are high on bridges, and they both drain into this neighborhood. So.

D

One of our principal goals that phil- and I have talked about several times, is how to collect that.

D

Water, so that it stops doing harm to the neighbors. So that's one of our principal goals with this.

D

Project and and how we're thinking about that yeah I took two different groups of yours down: celery.

C

To look at the way our drain is: they can move into the uh into uh the system. Your sewer drain.

C

Last fall and more recently, you had another group that went out to inspect the water. I said well.

C

You can take a look at it and obviously meet the second group. To tell me, you never start because I.

C

Said, oh yeah, we've seen them and they came up and you can ask them. I'm sure easy enough for you guys.

C

To tell who went out and saw it they'll tell you they've, never seen a sewer system that way ever.

D

But it wasn't my feeling at one time is that house was bringing some water in the backyard.

C

Or something but eyes, you know as you do. These changes take into consideration that grown.

C

Road drains, oh, will look at past pack past practice and look where other sewer drains were.

D

It was right in the front which is now gone. Also, uh that's when you.

D

D

We'll take a look at it.

D

We want to make sure we understand all the problems before we engineer a solution.

B

So david phil, uh we had a question uh who's your accuracy.

B

Thank you from vicki just wanted clarification that she was under the understanding that ada.

B

Requirements for sidewalks were five and a half feet with you just run through the uh reasoning.

B

For our sidewalk list, the ada is actually less than five and a half feet. Five and a half feet.

D

Has everything to do with our sidewalk tractors being five feet wide and giving a little bit of.

D

Leeway to our tractor drivers, who usually have been up for several days while it was cyborgs.

D

So the ada actually is generally um no less than 36 inches for a fixed.

D

Distance and we try, we endeavor to get five feet everywhere. At least you're.

C

Provided feet everywhere, yeah good current right, current guidance that isn't officially adopted, but.

C

It's what everybody uses now is five feet per side. You can narrow down in specific instances.

C

For a short stretch, but yeah five and a half feet is to accommodate the maintenance of the sidewalks.

B

Any other questions.

B

B

Do not receive a sidewalk, are they all going to receive granite curve or they're going to maintain.

B

Reviewing the comments from tonight we'll uh notify people with any kind of adjustments.

B

If we make them yeah we'll make sure that we're looking at them while we go in the final design.

D

Again, the next public meeting will be the pre-construction meeting with the contract.

G

Hey just not to beat a dead horse, but um could you speak to whether or not in the.

G

Sidewalk versus curb issue would would curbs correct the storm water issues.

G

Instead of a where people don't aren't keen on sidewalks.

G

Or that's not enough to yeah, certainly right, there's a variety of strategies. uh I think.

C

Dave's, looking at the overall grading and trying to improve yards and make everything fit, but yes.

K

Kirby can help collect and direct storm water too yeah. This is the principal use of curving.

G

Okay, I guess I would. I would wonder.

G

For that portion where people are concerned on, you know especially around orchard, where it narrows.

G

If that could correct the issue where um you know there, where there isn't a lot of traffic.

G

And and wondering where that is that, if that fits into my little portion of ash.

G

Where I'm at one ash street, just just a thought, we will uh we'll review this again.

B

Based on everybody's comments and we'll we'll send out some kind of distribution to folks to let us.

B

Let you know where we landed on this particular topic. Great appreciate it. Thank you, okay. Thank you.

B

B

Joe, are you there.

K

Hi this is june- oh june yeah, I'm at 104 orchard and I currently have a partial sidewalk in front.

K

Of my house, so if that partial sidewalk is going away, does that mean the street is now closer to.

K

My house, no, no, no, we we, it will likely go away as part of the reconstruction, but it would be.

C

Restored you know we would look at the surface treatment based on what's going on out there, but.

C

It would be either grass or something else, but in general the the edge of the roadway is going to be.

C

Pretty much where it is, and it's just going to be the sidewalk continuously on the other side.

K

And I get a lot of water in my backyard and I don't have any curbing there. But I.

K

From what I understand, it's the sidewalk on ash, that's going to prevent the water.

K

From coming in my backyard, let's pull the sidewalk our orchard.

K

Okay, good and I like sidewalks, I know, there's been a lot of.

K

uh People saying they're, not big fans of sidewalks, but.

K

I, like a good sidewalk. I just want to say that don't be afraid to advocate. Thank you.

H

Appears to be the last comment on zoom, okay, so one more time we'll be posting.

D

This on the city webpage, um when we are done.

D

Accessing all these comments, we will post a uh kind of a design plan that will show the.

D

Sidewalks and drains, and all that sort of things where, as we're creeping into.

D

Ever forward into final design and a construction document set we'll be posting. Those documents up.

C

On the page, so just take it, you know every so often check the page and we'll see if.

C

There are updates will be moving forward with final design over the balance of this calendar.

C

C

Yes, thank you appreciate it for those who have not sent in yet. Please.

A

Looks like there's one more comment on yeah, so this is collins.

A

uh Yeah, can you hear me yes yeah? This is bill collins over at one 111 willard. uh I noticed the.

A

The new sewer lines going in through ash now, that's where we currently tap recurrent our.

A

Sewer currently drains into that line, and will there be an opportunity for us to um upgrade.

A

The new connect, I think, our our connection to the new uh to the new sewer line yeah when we're in.

B

The midst of uh the early part of construction and um if you get the opportunity to reach out to zach.

B

Do that soon, and we can get that on our radar so that, hopefully you can um coordinate the work that.

B

You'll be doing on your private property right. The work that we'll be doing on the on the public side.

B

um Probably will not be the same contractor, but we can work with you to coordinate and.

B

Arrange that stuff okay sounds good. um Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Good night.