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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7A - Report re: Batdorf Request for Median Removal STAFF AGENDA REPORT SUBJECT: DATE: 7A GREG IlKKA, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/CITY ENGINEER STREET MEDIANS IN RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS APRIL 21, 1997 AGENDA #: PREPARED BY: INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this Agenda item is to recommend a plan of action with regard to complaints received about street medians in residential developments. BACKGROUND: On February 18, 1997, homeowners Todd & Deborah Batdorf sent a letter, attached, to the City Manager regarding a median in front of their home on Willowwood Street in the Westbury Ponds development. On March 3, 1997, Mr. Batdorf was present at the City Council Open Forum where he addressed the Council on the same issue. In the meantime, the City Manager requested the Public Works Department review the locations of existing medians, propose alternatives including their maintenance modifications or in some cases removal, and include the cost implications. DISCUSSION: A review of the existing medians indicated that there are a number of streets that have medians. The medians are not called for by ordinance. The medians fall into two categories: 1) they are on collector streets or at locations where they do not directly conflict with residential driveways; or 2) they are on residential streets and directly conflict with a homeowner's driveway. The Batdorf's situation falls into category 2. A number of years ago the Planning Department thought medians were an appropriate method of "traffic calming" which is another way to say "slow the traffic down in residential areas". Some of the subdivisions approved at the time (Westbury Ponds and Carriage Hills) were required to provide medians on residential streets. We have identified three medians in residential streets that are causing a direct conflict with residential driveways; the Batdorf's on Willowwood Street, and two on Coachman Lane in the Carriage Hills development. The median on Willowwood is not landscaped, except for sod, and would be simple to remove and patch. The medians on Coachman Lane have paver bricks and 162(1~~a9fe Creek Ave. S.E., Prior Lake, Minnesota 55372-1714 / Ph. (612) 447-4230 / Fax (612) 447-4245 AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER ALTERNATIVES: RECOMMENDATION: ACTION REQUIRED: MEDIAN.DOC trees as part of the landscaping. We believe we can alleviate the problems by shortening these medians. A two phased approach to solve these problems, now and for the future, is proposed. First, remove or modify/shorten existing medians that cause a conflict with homeowner's driveways. Second, work with the Planning Department to develop median design requirements with a goal towards eliminating potential conflicts in the future. The first phase is to immediately remove or modify the existing medians which have been the cause of citizen complaints. It is estimated to cost $1,000 per median for materials and equipment. Public Works crews would do the work with funding drawn from the street department budget. These specific medians cause maintenance and plowing problems for the Public Works crews and we believe this is a prudent course of action. The second phase, to scrutinize proposed developments for median requirements, is a long term solution to prevent similar problems from occurring in the future. The immediate alternatives are: 1. Remove the median on Willowwood Street. 2. Modify the medians on Coachman Lane so they do not conflict with residential driveways. 3. Deny this item for a specific reason and provide staff with direction. 4. Table this item until some date in the future. Alternatives No. 1 and No.2. I .1 ~y .I TO: City Manager FROM: Todd & Deborah Batdorf SUBJECT: Removal of the median in front of our home DATE: February 18, 1997 My wife and I built a home in Prior Lake and moved in at the end of August, 1996. So far, we have loved the town, the people, the atmosphere and of course the lake. The one thing we have not enjoyed has been a median in the middle of the street entering our development. We built our home on 4172 Willowwood Street and we have the corner lot. Evett though we love having a corner lot, the median has caused us to really question our decision. Since we have moved in we have encountered several problems with the median: 1. The median blocks 3/4 of our driveway, so when we exit we are forced into either making a very sharp U-turn to get around the median so we can drive out or to drive down the wrong side of the road. This is not only very inconvenient, it is also dangerous. Now that we are well into Winter, the median is so packed with snow around it that it now takes up the entire width of the driveway. 2. We have put a lot of time into making our yard look nice. At least once a week either a construction truck, work truck, residential vehicle or a snow plow runs over our yard and destroys our sod. This has been going on since the day the sod was laid. The residential vehicles are finding it hard to make the sharper corner especially in rainy or snowy weather and the outcome is t!J.ey end up on our yard tearii1~ up our grass. The large construction and work trucks truly, can not make the comer regardless of the weather and they are digging up our sod several inches into the mud. 3. If our house would ever have an emergency such as a fire, a fire truck would not even be able to enter our driveway. The road is so tight in front of our house that a larger vehicle such as a fire truck would not be able to make a turn like that without either driving over the median or driving up onto our yard. Neither situation sounds very safe. The bottom line is, we moved to Prior Lake so we could start our family with a nice new home that is right by an elementary school. Because of this median, our yard, home, safety and convenience are all being ruined. We have spoken with several of our neighbors in the development as well as the Assistant City Engineer, John Wmguard and the head of Public Works and all of them can see definite problems with the locations of this median. The head of Public Works stated that it is very difficult to drive a snow plow through the street when the median is right in the way. My wife and I are very concerned as to how damaged our yard will be by Spring. What we ask is that the City Council could please take a look at our situation, and do whatever it takes to resolve this problem as soon as possible. We have included some photographs to show how the median blocks our driveway both in the Fall as well as the Wmter. We have also included a couple of pictures showing some of the initial dl'lml'lge that we can see. Please let us know how the progress is going and what sort of time line we are working with before we can see a solution. We can be reached at 440-3396 (H) or 928-2583 (W). Thank You.