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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5D Storm Damage Policy Report Phone 952.447.9800 / Fax 952.447.4245 / www.cityofpriorlake.com 4646 Dakota Street SE Prior Lake, MN 55372 CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: OCTOBER 10, 2016 AGENDA #: 5D PREPARED BY: KATY GEHLER, PUBLIC WORKS/NATURAL RESOURCES DIRECTOR PRESENTED BY: KATY GEHLER AGENDA ITEM: CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION UPDATING THE CITY OF PRIOR LAKE PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS MANUAL RELATED TO STORM CLEAN-UP RESPONSE DISCUSSION: Introduction The purpose of this agenda item is to consider a new policy in the City of Prior Lakes Public Works Operations Manual addressing the City’s response to storm damage. History The City Council has adopted a number of policies related to Public Works operations over time. These policies capture procedures that were not in writing and were not formally communicated with the City Council or residents. The purpose of having a written manual is to provide residents, City Council and staff with expectations concerning the policies and procedures of city operations. Current Circumstances Over the last few years the City has experienced a number of severe weather events that have resulted in storm damage. Primarily damage has been very localized or on a lot level. In 2013 this damage was more widespread within the 150th Street neighborhoods. There were many downed trees. Clean-up efforts of the damage led to traffic congestion in the streets causing access and street obstruction issues and became a public safety issue. During this event the City made the decision to assist residents in clean-up efforts to help restore the neighborhood and allow the utility companies to address electrical issues. Since that time, the City often receives calls after such events inquiring as to the City’s response and whether assistance will be provided to residents. The attached policy formalizes the City’s response and provides staff guidance on what effort the City Council would like to undertake. A draft of this policy was reviewed with the City Council at a recent work session. The policy has been updated to detail both internal and external communication procedures. 2 Conclusion Staff is recommending that the Council approve the draft Storm Clean-up Policy. ISSUES: This policy captures the procedures already in place. Formalizing these procedures more clearly communicates to the public how the City will respond and provides a framework for making that communication. FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed policy does not impact day to day Public Works operations thus there is not an impact to the budget. Should a storm event occur, the financial impact would have to be considered at the time taking into account public safety needs. ALTERNATIVES: 1. As part of the consent agenda approve the resolution adopting the Storm Clean-up Policy as presented. 2. Remove this item from the consent agenda for additional discussion. RECOMMENDED MOTION: Alternative #1 4646 Dakota Street SE Prior Lake, MN 55372 RESOLUTION 16-XXX A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE STORM DAMAGE RESPONSE POLICY Motion By: Second By: WHEREAS, The City of Prior Lake experiences severe weather events on a regular basis during non-winter months that can include heavy rains, strong winds, lightning, hail and potentially tornadic activity; and WHEREAS, Damage can occur during severe weather events including the deposition of leaf litter, loss of small branches, and in more serious events tree and structure damage. This damage can occur on both public and private property; and WHEREAS, It is good practice to have a written policy to provide residents, City Council and staff with expectations concerning the policies and procedures for public works operations; and WHEREAS, The League of MN Cities (LMC) encourages every city to adopt written maintenance and operation policies for liability reasons; and WHEREAS, A Storm Damage Response Policy has been created to document how the City will respond to these types of events; and NOW THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA as follows: 1. The recitals set forth above are incorporated herein. 2. The City Council approves the Storm Damage Response Policy dated October 10, 2016. PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 10th DAY OF OCTORBER 2016 VOTE Hedberg Keeney McGuire Morton Thompson Aye ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Nay ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Absent ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ Abstain ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ______________________________ Frank Boyles, City Manager STORM CLEAN-UP POLICY Adopted October 10, 2016 (Pending) SUMMARY/PURPOSE The City of Prior Lake experiences severe weather events on a regular basis during non-winter months that can include heavy rains, strong winds, lightning, hail and potentially tornadic activity. The purpose of this Policy is to define and outline how the City will react when such an event occurs and causes damage to public and private property in the community. POLICY Damage can occur during severe weather events including the deposition of leaf litter, loss of small branches, and, in more serious events, tree and structure damage. This damage can occur on both public and private property. Any damage that does occur on public property that is owned and operated by the City is the responsibility of the City. When a severe weather event occurs staff will focus on the following priorities: 1. Ensuring that sanitary sewer lift stations are operating whether on regular or temporary power. 2. Ensuring that public streets are passable for emergency purposes. 3. Ensuring that public buildings and associated infrastructure is accessible and operating. 4. Clearing storm debris from public ROWs that originated in the public ROW. 5. Clearing debris from active use areas in the parks system. 6. Addressing any other debris removal from public property. Generally any damage that occurs on private property is the responsibility of the private property owner. However, there may be instances when the City makes a determination that it is in the community’s best interest to assist in clean-up efforts. This determination will be made by the City Manager/Public Works Director on a case-by-case basis. The following factors will be used: 1. Risk to public safety. Clean-up efforts from the damage is leading to traffic congestion in the impacted areas causing access and street obstruction issues or impacting infrastructure operation. 2. Extent of damage both in quantity, severity and in geographic area. The damage is severe causing widespread loss of trees or large limbs. 3. Priority of workload needs and availability of City resources to assist. PUBLIC ASSISTANCE When the City makes a determination to assist in the clean-up efforts it will only include tree and brush material. The City will not pick up any material that is required to be disposed of at a landfill (i.e. debris from structures, carpet, etc.) The City will only pick up yard waste that has been processed and stacked on the curb by the private property owner or their agent. The City will not enter private property to move materials. Property owners are expected to adhere to the following procedures to process the material for pick-up: 1. Cut all logs to an 8’ length or less and have stacked at the curb prior to prearranged collection time. 2. Brush should be cut in 8’ lengths or less and stacked neatly with the stump side to the street. 3. All material should be stacked within the ROW (7’ or less from the curb). Material should be above the curb and NOT in the street blocking the gutter for storm drainage. 4. The city will not pick up root balls or non-storm related material. Failure to follow this protocol will result in pick-up cancellation. Residents should call the City’s main line to schedule a pick-up. Scheduling of pick-ups will occur based on the number of calls, location of pick-up and other workload constraints. OTHER RESOURCES Residents have the following options available for clean-up and/or disposal of storm damage material from their private property: 1. The SMSC, Organics Recycling Facility offers free yard waste disposal and accepts all non-treated wood products, including logs, brush and lumber. The ORF is located at 1905 Mystic Lake Drive South in Shakopee, MN 55379 and is open Monday - Saturday: 7am - 7pm. If you have any questions residential customers can call the ORF directly at (952) 233-9191. 2. Contact your garbage hauler to see if they will accept the yard waste as part of their recycling program. 3. Contact a tree removal vendor. There are several reputable tree vendors in the area. POLICY IMPLEMENTATION This policy will be implemented only after severe weather events in the following manner: 1. After a severe weather event public works staff will survey the damage and report the severity, intensity and geographic locations of visible damage to the Public Works Director. 2. The Public Works Director, working with the City Manager, will make a determination based on this policy as to whether public assistance will be provided. 3. When the City Manager/Public Works Director makes the determination to on whether to provide public assistance or not they will communicate this decision to all departments through the City Response Form. 4. The City Response Form will be routed to all front line staff, the Police Department, and the Communications Coordinator. This form will provide information about the event along with instructions as to City response, call routing, and work request entry (if applicable). 5. The Communications Coordinator will post this decision on the City’s website, and applicable social media outlets. This communication will take the form of instructions on how to make use of the public assistance if offered OR information on how residents can address storm damage if the City is not providing assistance. In addition, this information will be posted on the City’s electronic sign boards. 6. Calls received from residents, regardless of City Response, will be logged in Cartegraph.