2013-07-23_PWETC_Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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5. County Road B-2/Victoria Street Sidewalk Project Ms. Giga summarized staff's preliminary design work to-date for the proposed 6' wide sidewalk along street segments on County Road B-2 (Attachment A) and Victoria Street(Attachment B). Ms. Giga noted that several public information meetings with residents had already been held (February and June) collectively and on-site for individual issues and concerns; with staff continuing to address concerns where possible. Chair Vanderwall supported installation of pathways on the north side to take advantage of more sunlight during winter months and the natural benefits of melting on those pathways. Ms. Giga reviewed those draft plans for various segments, including the north side of County Road B-2 from Lexington Avenue to Rice Street; the east side of Victoria Street form County Road B-2 to County Road B; the east or west side of Victoria Street from County Road B-2 to the flashing crosswalk and the west side from the flashing crosswalk to the existing sidewalk at Prince of Peace Church. Ms. Giga provided the rationale for recommending one side of the street over the other based on alignment issues, easement and rights-of-way available, drainage issues and the addition of catch basins and extending stormwater systems to capture problem areas, grades, existing landscaping to work around, the need for retaining walls in some locations, and width requirements or preferences as applicable. Ms. Giga noted that there were some potential areas for incorporating Best Management Practices (BMP) projects to address and mitigate problem drainage areas. Ms. Giga advised that staff continued to meet with Ramsey County to discuss the project in more detail. In her review of specific segments through display of cross section and aerial maps, Ms. Giga addressed rationale for placement of the sidewalks, their width, and addressed specific questions of members. Ms. Giga advised that overall, with few exceptions, residents were supportive of the proposed designs and locations. Discussion included variable widths and rationale for those widths in various locations as previously noted; types of drainage indicated at various segments (e.g. above-ground swale or underground infiltration trenches) depending on possible BMP's and/or impacts to property owners; recognition and display of resident comments throughout the project area. Further discussion included addressing current drainage issues and sagging driveways; avoiding significant impact for residential parcels or loss of mature trees depending on their species; sidewalks against existing roadways without curb and gutter and how Ramsey County signs and creates a delineator if within Page 3 of 11