Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee met on August 18, 2015, at 1:00 p.m., with Farmer presiding. The committee addressed four agenda items during the session, taking 10 votes and hearing 10 public comments. The committee approved the Committee Summary and Items Referred to Committee, deferred action on the Snow & Ice Control Plan Update, and received an informational report from the Division of Water Quality Projects.

Attendance

Present: Stinnett, Kay, Moloney, J. Brown, Gibbs, Evans, F. Brown, Mossotti, Lane

Absent: Farmer

Late: None

Votes and Decisions

The following motions were voted on and passed unanimously during the meeting 9:50:

Approval of June 16, 2015 Environmental Quality & Public Works Committee Summary - Motion by Mossotti, seconded by F. Brown - Outcome: Passed unanimously

Removal of Consolidate Greenway Responsibilities from Committee - Motion by Kay, seconded by Gibbs - Outcome: Passed unanimously

Removal of Distillery District Update from Committee - Motion by Kay, seconded by F. Brown - Outcome: Passed unanimously

Removal of Streetlights Analysis from Committee - Motion by Mossotti, seconded by Evans - Outcome: Passed unanimously

Removal of Todd's Road Widening Phase II from Committee - Motion by Evans, seconded by F. Brown - Outcome: Passed unanimously

Removal of Safe Routes to School from Committee - Motion by F. Brown, seconded by Gibbs - Outcome: Passed unanimously

Removal of Traffic Signal System from Committee - Motion by Kay, seconded by Gibbs - Outcome: Passed unanimously

Removal of Changing Signalized Intersections to Four Way Stops from Committee - Motion by Gibbs, seconded by Mossotti - Outcome: Passed unanimously

Removal of Reduction of Speed Limit on Jouett Creek Drive from Committee - Motion by Gibbs, seconded by Lane - Outcome: Passed unanimously

Adjournment - Motion by Evans, seconded by F. Brown - Outcome: Passed unanimously

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting addressed several financial commitments related to snow removal operations and equipment upgrades:

Snow Removal Expansion - An appropriation of $3,900,000 was discussed to cover the cost of expanding snow removal services to unranked streets and cul-de-sacs.

Contractor Services - A contract valued at $400,000 was proposed to hire contractors for snow removal operations on four major thoroughfares.

Equipment Purchases - An upgrade to one Vintrac for snow operations was budgeted at $28,000. - Additional Vintrac equipment suited for snow removal was estimated at $50,000 per unit. - Equipment and supplies to outfit facilities and Parks & Recreation for sidewalk snow removal totaled $48,000.

Public Comment

The meeting included ten public comments addressing various aspects of the proposed snow removal plan.

Snow Plan Structure and Communication

Fred Brown [1:18:20] requested that the streets and roads snow plan be separated from the sidewalk plan and emphasized the need for a written plan that clearly communicates rankings to the public. Evans [1:10:42] praised the ranking system for providing clarity to constituents and stressed the importance of better public communication of the snow plan.

Sidewalk Safety and Enforcement

Maloney [1:52:43] expressed concern about pedestrians walking in the middle of roads due to uncleaned sidewalks and asked how enforcement would be handled once sidewalks are cleared. Gibbs [1:55:59] suggested referring the issue of private sidewalk enforcement to the Planning and Public Safety Committee, noting that current enforcement is inadequate.

Prioritization Concerns

Brown [1:49:21] requested that cul-de-sacs on hills be prioritized in snow removal due to residents' inability to access main roads. Stenet [1:14:12] suggested a tiered response based on snowfall amount, such as full mobilization for 6+ inches and partial for smaller events.

Budgeting and Cost Analysis

Stennett [1:58:43] asked about the source of funds for snow removal, noting that current costs are drawn from the Urban Service Fund and questioned whether other funds could be used. Lamb [1:04:33] asked whether a cost analysis was done comparing in-house staff and equipment to contracting services for sidewalk snow removal. Mazzotti [1:08:27] asked if a cost analysis was conducted comparing hiring more staff and equipment versus using private contractors for road snow removal.

Operational Procedures

Stenet [1:13:39] asked who council members should contact during a snow event for information or to report issues, noting that multiple council members contacting Albert directly would be inefficient.

Contested Items

The August 18, 2015 meeting included three significant areas of disagreement among council members and community stakeholders.

Separation of Snow Plan and Sidewalk Plan

Council Member Fred Brown advocated for treating streets and sidewalks as separate issues rather than integrating them into one comprehensive plan. This represented a split vote among council members, with some supporting Brown's approach to handle snow removal and sidewalk maintenance as distinct policy matters, while others preferred a unified planning framework that would address both infrastructure concerns together.

Funding Source for Snow Removal

Council members engaged in heated discussion regarding the financial mechanisms for snow removal costs. The central question was whether snow removal expenses could be drawn from sources other than the general fund, with particular interest in utilizing the Urban Service Fund. Additionally, council members debated whether CNG (compressed natural gas) vehicles could be prioritized within snow removal operations, raising questions about both budget allocation and fleet management priorities.

Enforcement of Sidewalk Cleanliness

Community opposition emerged regarding sidewalk maintenance and enforcement. Concerns were raised that pedestrians were walking in the middle of roads due to uncleaned sidewalks, creating safety hazards. The lack of enforcement mechanisms to ensure sidewalk cleanliness was identified as a major issue, with stakeholders questioning how the city could effectively hold property owners or responsible parties accountable for maintaining clear, passable sidewalks.

Approval of Committee Summary

The committee considered approval of the June 16, 2015 committee summary. 9:50

Mossotti made a motion to approve the summary, which was seconded by F. Brown. The summary was approved without dissent.

Snow & Ice Control Plan Update

10:22

The committee reviewed a presentation on enhancing the city's snow and ice control plan. Key speakers David, Susan Pluger, and Albert discussed three distinct options for improving snow removal operations.

The three options presented were:

• Full city coverage encompassing 2,271 lane miles
• Contracting for priority roads only
• Hiring contractors during major events

The presentation included a cost-benefit analysis comparing these approaches, along with details on equipment needs and operational timelines required for implementation.

The committee deferred action on this item, indicating that further consideration or additional information would be needed before making a decision on which approach to pursue.

Division of Water Quality Projects Report

Charlie Martin presented updates on multiple water quality infrastructure projects during this agenda item 1:24:06.

Projects Discussed

The presentation covered the following projects:

• Blue Sky
• West Hickman A trunk sewer
• Woodhill Pipeline
• Lower Cane Run wet weather storage tank
• East Hickman system

Lower Cane Run Tank Presentation

The Lower Cane Run wet weather storage tank was highlighted as a significant project, with a full council presentation scheduled for September 15, 2015.

Outcome

This agenda item was informational in nature, providing the council with updates on the Division of Water Quality's ongoing project portfolio.

Items Referred to Committee

9:50

Multiple items were removed from the committee's jurisdiction during this agenda item discussion. The following matters were referred away from the committee:

• Consolidate Greenway Responsibilities
• Distillery District Update
• Streetlights analysis
• Todd's Road Widening Phase II
• Safe Routes to School
• Traffic Signal System
• Changing Signalized Intersections to Four Way Stops
• Reduction of Speed Limit on Jouett Creek Drive

Key speakers participating in the discussion included Kay, Gibbs, Mossotti, Evans, F. Brown, and Lane.

The item was approved by the committee.