Brett Grabau, Stantec engineer, presented cost estimates for four possible 2019 street project areas at the May 20 city council meeting. The estimates were requested by the council last February.
Project areas include portions of Cottage Grove Ave., Park Lane, Chatfield Ave., and Washington St. The total estimate for the suggested improvements is about $467,000. This includes contract work, contingency, and engineering. The total street improvement funding available is $520,000, which includes a 2019 allocation of $151,000.
Work will include improvements to solve drainage issues, some new curb, widening of a portion of Park Lane, and the replacement of pedestrian ramps near the school with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramps.
City Administrator Joe Hoffman said the city council determined in 2006 that overlays are not assessable because they are considered maintenance. Some of the proposed improvements will be assessable and others will not be. Portions of Chatfield Ave., Park Lane, and Cottage Grove Ave. will get full new pavement and will be assessable. Mayor Kurt Reicks maintained we need to stay consistent with the assessment policy.
A public hearing was set for June 17 on the assessments. After the public hearing the council could call for plans and specifications and advertise for bids on the four project areas.
Grabau recommended that they go ahead and get quotes for the concrete work and get that done first at the front of the project.
Other business in brief
•Brian Schroeder, 808 Franklin St. NW, wants to build an 8-foot by 12-foot porch on the west side of his house. A 20-foot setback from the street side property line is required in the city code. A variance for a six-foot setback was requested. Planning and Zoning recommended approval of the requested variance. The council approved the variance.
•A letter was received from Heath Olstad requesting permission for Fillmore Central staff to place orange bows on light poles in Preston to support Gabby Brown in her battle with cancer. Permission was granted for the bows to be put on the poles near the end of May and for them to remain there until the end of June.
•Approval was given for utility/city outside workers and Jim Bakken and Joe Hoffman to work 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Last year was the first year workers tried these earlier hours on a trial basis. The trial of earlier summer hours was considered to be a success. Preston Public Utility and the city council approved the summer hours for this year and succeeding years. Normal hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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