[Council Communication]  [Proposed Resolution]

Council Communication

Title:	Public Hearing for any concerns with the intent to form a Local Improve-ment District for Construction Improvements to Tolman Creek Road & Adopting a Resolution Authorizing & Ordering the Local Improvements for Construction Improvements to Tolman Creek Road
Dept:	Public Works Department
Date:	May 6, 2003
Submitted By:	Paula Brown
Approved By: ...........................	Gino Grimaldi, City Administrator

Synopsis:	For the past several months, staff and our consulting design engineer have been working with the Tolman Creek Road neighbors to complete design for the installation of sidewalks, parkrows, parking bays, bicycle lanes, pedestrian safety improvements to intersections and traffic diverter islands, drainage and associated improvements to Tolman Creek Road between Siskiyou Boulevard and the railroad tracks. This project has been many years in the making and will greatly improve pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle safety along Tolman Creek Road thereby improving the pedestrian use to Bellview School. On April 1, 2003, Council adopted a resolution to establish this public hearing to hear any concerns with the intention of forming the local improvement district for these improvements. District boundaries include lots fronting on or accessing Tolman Creek Road between Siskiyou Boulevard and the railroad tracks including lots within subdivisions bounded to the west by Jacqueline Street and to the east by Hamilton Creek as depicted on the map attached as Exhibit A. Specific assessments have been estimated for each of the included lots and are shown on Exhibit B. Each equivalent dwelling unit or potential equivalent dwelling unit will pay $1,162.20, which can be Bancrofted over a 10-year period. At the May 20, 2003 meeting staff will bring a resolution to Council to approve the formation of the Tolman Creek Road Sidewalk LID. Staff will ask that this be formed by Council initiative in accordance with AMC Section 13.20.020 as the construction of improvements to Tolman Creek Road is a priority in the City's Transportation System Plan and has been a priority of the City Council.
Recommendation:	Staff recommends that Council hold a public hearing to hear any concerns with the intention of forming the Tolman Creek Road Local Improvement District for these improvements. If Council determines a district should be formed adopt the resolution.
Fiscal Impact:	Each equivalent dwelling unit or potential equivalent dwelling unit will pay $1,162.20, which can be paid in full or Bancrofted over a 10-year period. The total project estimate is $638,985.00. Under resolution 99-09 the City is obligated to pay a majority of sidewalk, storm drain and engineering costs. The following is a breakdown of the City's obligation under this recommendation: Total Construction Cost Engineering and Administration Total Project Costs $552,485.00 86,500.00 $638,985.00 Credit - Jackson County Credit - Clay Creek Gardens pre-paid 68,820.00 64,175.00 $132,995.00 City Participation in LID per resolution 99-09 ..........Sidewalks (60% of $109,897) ..........Storm Drain (75% of $94,800) ..........Paving (20% of $347,788) ..........Engineering (50% of $66,500) . 65,938.00 71,100.00 69,558.00 33,250.00 Total Credits $239,846.00 $372,841.00 Remaining Assessment Participation Number of equivalent dwelling units Cost per equivalent dwelling unit $266,144.00 229 $1,162.20
Background:	Initial discussions for improvements to "Middle" Tolman Creek Road began in 1993. Planning staff developed a Tolman Creek Neighborhood Plan for development improvements along that section in 1999. At that time costs for the construction improvements were very high and there was limited City participation in the LID process. Since then, Council passed Resolution 99-09, which required approximately 40% City participation in each LID and provided a cap on the amount of residential participation. As development has occurred, there have been some improvements to Tolman Creek Road, but the overall need for drainage and pedestrian safety improvements remained a priority of the City Council. Two neighborhood meetings were held at the Bellview Grange in October and December 2002 to finalize the details of the construction improvements project. There are approximately 180 separate ownerships within the proposed LID boundary comprising 229 equivalent dwelling units. The average attendance at the neighborhood meetings was approximately 40-50 people at each meeting. Initial concern was cost and the ability to include all of the desired elements of the project, including sidewalks, bicycle lanes, on-street parking, parkrows, pedestrian safety and traffic calming options, and ensuring that existing trees stayed. Staff recommended inclusion of sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides of the street. Thornton Engineering was hired to complete the final design and has made accommodations for sidewalks on both sides, bikelanes on both sides, a number of parking bays to accommodate on-street parking, significant amounts of parkrows, intersection improvements for pedestrian safety, pedestrian lighting, traffic diverter islands that can be planted, drainage and other improvements. The right of way accommodates these improvements, and by allowing the sidewalk to alternate from back of curb to parkrows ensures the majority of the existing trees will remain in place. Staff and the majority of the neighbors are pleased with Thornton Engineering's design. Other than accommodating the concerns brought by Dennis DeBay for the corner of Tolman and Siskiyou and the pedestrian improvements for that same intersection, the design is completed. Staff has advised the property owners within the proposed LID boundary of this public hearing and has had several inquiries, but no opposition to the improvements or the formation of the LID. There are 180 different parcels within the boundary totaling 229 units. Each property owner will pay for one full "unit" (equivalent dwelling unit) with the exception of the 14 units with the Hamilton Creek subdivision that will be assessed for 0.5 unit as they have paid for full improvements within their subdivision. There are eight property owners that are assessed multiple units based upon current zoning and the ability to develop in the future with multiple units. There are two significantly large lots within the LID; one owned by the State of Oregon and currently in operation as ODOT's Ashland area maintenance yard and the other large lot is owned by Ashland School District at the Bellview School site. The number of equivalent dwelling units at the ODOT site was determined by the future developable lots, whereas the school site was determined based on the trip generation rates of the elementary school and equated to potential units through a conversion to equivalent dwelling units based on an estimate of 10 trips per single family home. The 25 properties within the Clay Creek Gardens are included within the LID but are shown as zero assessment as they had been assessed during that subdivision development and have already paid into the LID. Assuming that there are no major concerns brought forward at the public hearing, staff will finalize design and bring a resolution to Council to approve the formation of the Tolman Creek Road LID through Council initiative in accordance with AMC Section 13.20.020. Although staff has worked with the neighbors and has received general consensus for the formation of the LID, actual signed petitions in favor of the LID have not been collected by staff. Design details and construction specifications will be finalized and staff hopes to have the project out for bids at the end of May. Construction will begin in late June or early July and should be completed in October.

Back to Top

RESOLUTION NO. 2003-______

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AND ORDERING THE LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION IMPROVEMENTS TO TOLMAN CREEK ROAD CONSISTING OF SIDEWALKS, PARKROWS, PARKING BAYS, BICYCLE LANES, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS TO INTERSECTIONS, TRAFFIC DIVERTER ISLANDS, DRAINAGE AND ASSOCIATED IMPROVEMENTS AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY TO BORROW MONEY AND ISSUE AND SELL NOTES FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING INTERIM FINANCING FOR THE ACTUAL COST OF THE LOCAL IMPROVEMENT

RECITALS:

A. The Council has declared by resolution its intention to develop the improvements described in the above title and in the improvement resolution previously adopted and to assess upon each lot or part of lot benefited by the improvement its proportional share of the cost of the improvement; and

B. Notice of such intention was duly given, a public hearing was held and it appears to the Council that such improvements are of benefit to the city and all property to be assessed will be benefited to the extent of the probable amount of the respective assessments to be levied for the costs.

THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASHLAND RESOLVES:

SECTION 1. A local improvement district is created and shall consist of all the tax lots described in the attached Exhibit A. The district shall be called the Tolman Creek Local Improvement District, No. _____.

SECTION 2. The council intends to make local improvements to provide the improvements described in the above title. Such improvements will be in accordance with costs estimated to be $638,985.00 of which $266,144.00 will be paid by special assessments on benefited properties. Costs will be allocated based on $1,162.20 per equivalent dwelling unit or potential equivalent dwelling unit within the assessment area.

Lots will be assessed as specified on the attached Exhibit A.

SECTION 3. The City of Ashland is authorized to borrow money and issue and sell notes for the purpose of providing interim financing for the actual cost of the local improvement. The notes may be payable from the proceeds of any bonds, issuance of additional notes or from any other sources from which the bonds are payable. This borrowing shall be issued according to the terms of ORS 223.235(7).

SECTION 4. The City of Ashland expects to make expenditures from its available funds to pay for the costs of the improvement project. The City reasonably expects to issue bonds or other obligations (the "Reimbursement Bonds") and to use the proceeds of the Reimbursement Bonds to reimburse the City for the expenditures it makes from its available funds for the improvement project. To permit interest on the Reimbursement Bonds to be excludable from gross income, the Internal Revenue Code of the United States requires that the City declare its intent to reimburse itself from Reimbursement Bond proceeds within 60 days after the expenditures are made. The City expects that the principal amount of the Reimbursement Bonds will not exceed $702,884.00.

SECTION 5. The assessment imposed upon benefitted properties is characterized as an assessment for local improvement pursuant to ORS 305.583(4).

SECTION 6. The city recorder is directed to prepare the estimated assessment of the respective lots within the local improvement district and file it in the lien records of the city.

SECTION 7. This resolution takes effect upon signing by the Mayor.

This resolution was read by title only in accordance with Ashland Municipal Code §2.04.090 and duly PASSED and ADOPTED this day of , 2003.
Barbara Christensen, City Recorder

SIGNED and APPROVED this ______ day of ________________________, 2003.
Alan W. DeBoer, Mayor

End of Document - Back to Top