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5.5. SR 02-10-2003TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Item 5.5. MEMORANDUM Mayor and City Council Pat Klaers, City Administrator February I 0, 2003 Consider Motion Changing Roadside Trimming Program Approved on December 16, 2002 On December 16, 2002 the City Council received information regarding the street/park department proposal for roadside trimming. At this meeting the Council concurred with the recommendation from the street/park department for the rural and urban trimming areas and the neighborhoods to be worked on this winter. At the January 27, 2003 City Council meeting testimony was given by area homeowners regarding the need to inspect and individualize the trim areas. The City Council generally concurred with the homeowners, as did city staff. The street/park department has recently been busy with ice and snow removal activities and has not been removing or trimming trees in the neighborhoods that were identified in December. Weather permitting, some tree trimming and removal activities are still anticipated this winter. The street/park department has removed all of the tags on the trees that were targeted for trimming or removal. In the near future new tags will be applied to some of these trees; one color will be for trees that are to be trimmed and another color for trees that are to be removed. Following this retagging of trees, a letter will be sent to the homeowners who have tagged trees in the right-of-way along their property. In general the street/park department believes that most trees within a five-foot setback of the blacktop/gravel will need to be removed but this distance is only a guideline; and accordingly, some within five feet may be able to be retained while others outside of this five-foot area will need to be removed. Attached for your information is some of the material from the December 16, 2002 meeting and some follow-up comments from the January 27, 2003 meeting as provided by Street/Park Superintendent Phil Hals. I'm not sure what is the most appropriate action for the City Council in terms of revising the December 16, 2002 motion that approved the proposed trim areas. A written policy may be needed that talks about: (1) notice to property S~ Council/Pat~ tree#imming(02 ! 003) owners, and (2) using the setback distance as a "guideline" rather than an absolute distance in order to allow the trimming and removal program to be customized according to the conditions. In this regard there may not need to be any additional action taken by the City Council as a follow-up to the January 27 meeting until a written policy is presented or you could modify the December 16, 2002 motion by accepting the procedures for activities this winter per the memo from Phil Hals. S / Coundl/ Pat/ treet~imming(02 ! 003) Cit3, Council Minutes "; Page 2 December 16, 2002 FINAL PAY ESTI~TE TO BAUE~Y BROTHERS IN THE ~OUNT OF $16,680.07 FOR WO~ ON THE 2001 O~Y PROJECT · PAY ESTI~TE ~4 TO V~IOUS CONT~CTORS IN THE ~OUNT OF $575,383.60 FOR WO~ ON THE PUBLIC S~E~ FACILITY · PAY ESTI~TE ~4 TO V~IOUS CONT~CTORS IN THE ~O~T OF $254,491.80 FOR WO~ ON THE CI~ ~L EXP~SION 3.6. ~PROV~ OF THeE CH~GE O~ERS TO THE PUBLIC S~E~ FACILITY ~D CITY ~L BUILDING PROJECTS TOTTING $5,902.00 3.7. ~PROV~ OF SPEC~ ASSESSMENT RE~PORTIONMENTS 3.8. ~PROV~ OF THE FOLLOWING RE~POINTMENTS AS REQUESTED BY ~YOR ~INZING: · PAUL MOTIN TO THE EDA FOR A FOUR ~ TE~ ENDING ON ~/31/06 · STEPH~IE ~INZING TO THE EDA FOR A FOUR ~ TE~ ENDING ON ~/31/06 · JE~ LIESER TO THE H~ FOR A FIVE ~ TE~ ENDING ON ~/31/07 COUNCILMEMBER KUESTER SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 4-0. 4.1. 4.2. Utilities Update Counc/lmember Dietz updated the Council on the items discussed at the December 10, 2002 Utilities Commission Meeting. NCDA Update Senior Planner Scott Harlicker promded an update on the December 5, 2002 NCDA meeting. Update on Roadside Vegetafixre Maintenance Street/Park Superintendent Phil Hals informed the Council that his department would be trimming trees and brush as part of the road maintenance plan. He reviewed information pertaining to the areas that are slated for trimming of roadside trees. COUNCILMEMBER DIETZ MOVED TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED TRIM AREAS. COUNCILMEMBER MOTIN SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED 4-0. 4.4. Authorization to Purchase Waste Oil Heater Phil Hals informed the Council that the CiV is receiving SCORE grant funds for part of the cost to purchase a waste oil heater to be used for supplemental heat for the street garage. MEMORANDUM Item# 4.3 TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: Mayor and City Council Phil Hals, Street/Park Superintendent December 12, 2002 Right of Way Vegetation Management Part of our ongoing road maintenance includes brush and tree trimming. Attached are drawings and a map that show the intended trimming zone and the developments that are in need of ROW maintenance. It is my intention to develop a policy that will be reviewed annually by the City Council that will indicate trim zones, procedures and affected developments. This will provide residents with the information in advance, which will help reduce the public perception that right of way trimming is just a random indiscriminate act. City streets that are canopied with large tree tops that meet over the center have a definite grace and appeal, and I certainly don't want to ruin that. The need for maintenance trimming comes when trees grow toward the light and limbs actually come in contact with vehicles and snowplow equipment. Once the trees and brush are removed, our summer roadside mowing program keeps most areas under control. Recommendation: City Council receives information and approves proposed trim areas. City of Elk River Roadside Tree Trimming Resident: The City of Elk River Street/Park Department will be roadside trimming in the near future. For any concerns, please contact the Elk River Street/Park Department at (763) 441-4910 Thank You! Urban Section CLEAR SPACE CBRANCHES WILL BE CLEARED ENCROACH INTO THIS ,TYPICAl ROAD SECTION'. TREE WILL BE CUT OFF AT GROUND LEVEL City of Elk River Roadside Tree Trimming Resident: The City of Elk River Street/Park Department will be roadside trimming in the near future. For any concerns, please contact the Elk River Street/Park Department at (763) 441-4910 Thank You! Rural Section CLEAR SPACE BRANCHES WILL BE CLEARED ~THAT ENCROACH INTO ;TYPICAL ROAD SECTION TREE WILL BE CUT OFF AT GROUND LEVEL MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Phil Hals, Street/Park Superintendent DATE: February 7, 2002 SUBJECT: Right of Way Vegetation Management Procedure As we are in process of establishing this program, the procedure we are proposing is: I. To mark the trees and brush growing within 5' of the edge of the roadway with orange ribbons. The orange ribbon will indicate that they will be cut off at ground level. 2. To mark trees limbs that extend into the 5' cut zone with pink ribbons to indicate that they will be trimmed. 3. Mail a form letter to each affected property owner explaining the color code and allowing them 5 working days to call the Street/Park Department with concerns. 4. Proceed with the cutting and trimming of each development from mid-February through March of 2003. 5. The developments that are cleared now, will be maintained in the future with our annual roadside mowing program. As with other programs, I am certain that there will need to be adjustments as time goes by, but one goal remains to provide safe passage for everyone using our street system.