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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7A - Maple Hills HOA Sewer & Water STAFF AGENDA REPORT DATE: 7A GREG ILKKA, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/CITY ENGINEER MAPLE HILLS HOMES ASSOCIATION PROPOSED SANITARY SEWER AND WA TERMAIN PROJECT JUNE 2, 1997 AGENDA #: PREPARED BY: SUBJECT: INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this Agenda item is to address issues surrounding a project for sanitary sewer and watermain being proposed for the Maple Hills Homes Association. The matter was tabled at the April 21, 1997 Council meeting to complete the following: 1. Staking of the roadway at a 20 foot width from Pike Lake Trail to the terminus of both roads. 2. Inventory any and all trees to be lost as a result of a 20 foot roadway width. 3. Have the Fire Chief survey the roadway to determine steps necessary for compliance with the Uniform Fire Code. A copy of the April 21, 1997, staff report is attached for Council information. BACKGROUND: The Maple Hills Homes Association is comprised of homeowners in the heavily wooded 9 lot Maple Hill plat located to the east of Pike Lake Trail and south of Holy Cross Lutheran Church along CSAH 42. The area was platted in 1973 before the existing requirements for infrastructure or street width were established. The homeowner's association approached the City Council on August 5, 1996, to request permission to install privately financed sanitary sewer to serve the homes and lots in the plat. The Council directed that both sanitary sewer and watermain be installed at the same time. On April 21, 1997 this issue was before the Council again because the project sponsors wanted to vary from City standards for utility separation to reduce the number of trees lost to construction. Questions were also raised as to fire department accessibility of the area. The project sponsors were directed to provide a tree inventory of the project, stake the fire access road, 16200~15I~reek Ave. S.E., Prior Lake. Minnesota 55372-1714 / Ph. (612) 447-4230 / Fax (612) 447-4245 AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER and have the Fire Chief evaluate the area for emergency vehicle access. DISCUSSION: Since the April 21 st Council meeting the project sponsor has complied with the direction from the Council and staked the roadway, provided staff with plan drawings showing the location of significant trees, and had the Fire Chief out to evaluate the area. The Fire Chiefs evaluation of the area is outlined in the attached memo and discusses the need for width, height, and turnaround requirements. The Fire Chief has determined that the twenty feet of unobstructed width can be measured between trees, but must be a horizontal surface, in case emergency vehicles must get off of the traveled surface. The 20 foot width must be maintained to a height of 13 feet 6 inches. This allows for passage of vehicles during an emergency and allows fire fighters to work around equipment parked on the road. The current traveled roadway has been measured by staff and averages 15 feet. The future traveled surface may remain at this width, however, the remaining 5 feet must be on the same horizontal plane. The Chief is also requiring turnarounds for fire trucks at the ends of the streets. I expect that Mr. Jim Boerhave representing the Homeowner's Association will again be present to address the Council on this subject. ISSUES: 1) Compliance with Fire Code: In order to comply with the fire code, numerous trees will have to be removed. There will be additional trees lost to provide for a turnaround at the end of each street. The additional number lost will depend on the decided configuration and placement of the turnarounds. We have surveyed the area with property owners and agreed to the road width. 2) Compliance with City standards for sewer and water separation: Given the Fire Code requirements for compliance it is staff's position that it is possible to comply with the standard utility separation of 10 feet with little additional loss of trees. Attached is a sketch of the proposed construction with the assumption that the project sponsor will construct the project using a trench box of 6 foot minimum height. This sketch clearly shows that for an 8 to 10 foot deep trench the 10 foot utility separation can be met with this common construction practice. Any additional loss of trees would be due to root damage and is unpredictable at this time. We have discussed this position extensively with the property owners. Additionally, we have investigated directional boring, a trenchless technology, to install the sewer. This option would increase the total project cost approximately 15%-20% over the MAPutIU.DOC ALTERNATIVES: RECOMMENDATION: ACTION REQUIRED: MAPutIU.DOC current estimate, from $76,000 to roughly $90,000, but there would be no additional loss of trees. The property owner still seeks some form of variance to the 10 foot separation. We have agreed to have the Council decide this question. The alternatives are: 1. Direct the project sponsor to comply with the Fire Code requirements as interpreted by the Fire Chief and to comply with the City standards for utility construction to the best of their ability using common construction techniques and as approved by the City Engineer. 2. Direct the project sponsor to comply with the Fire Code requirements for street standards and allow a variance to City standards for separation of sewer and water recognizing that the sewer pipe will be upgraded accordingly. Staff would request that the maximum achievable separation with no additional loss of trees be provided. 3. Deny this item for a specific reason and provide staff with direction. 4. Table this item until some date in the future. Alternative No. 1 A motion and second to approve the recommended alternative. Direct the staff to prepare an abbreviated Developer's Contract for this project, incorporating the resolution of these issues, for Council consideration a he June 16 Council meeting. f"le- ~1-S\ STAFF AGENDA REPORT DATE: 7C GREG ILKKA, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/CITY ENGINEER MAPLE HILLS HOMES ASSOCIATION PROPOSED SANITARY SEWER AND WA TERMAIN PROJECT APRIL 21, 1997 AGENDA #: PREPARED BY: SUBJECT: INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this Agenda item is to address issues surrounding a project for sanitary sewer and watermain being proposed for the Maple Hills Homes Association. Staff and the project proposer have been unsuccessful in resolving these issues and the project proposer has requested this issue be raised for Council consideration. BACKGROUND: The Maple Hills Homes Association is comprised of homeowners in the heavily wooded 9 lot Maple Hill plat located to the east of Pike Lake Trail and south of Holy Cross Lutheran Church along CSAH 42. The area was platted in 1973 before the existing requirements for infrastructure were established. The homeowner's association approached the City Council on August 5, 1996, to request permission to install privately financed sanitary sewer to serve the homes and lots in the plat. The Council directed that both sanitary sewer and watermain be installed at the same time. The homeowner's association has now had plans and specifications prepared for both sewer and water for the project. DISCUSSION: The plans for the proposed project do not comply with City standards. The sewer and water are proposed to be laid in the same trench at a horizontal separation of two (2) to three (3) feet. The City standard for this separation is ten (10) feet. The ten foot standard is in accordance with the "City Engineers Association of Minnesota" Standard Specification for Utilities. The proposers have designed their project with a lesser separation in order to allegedly save 30-50 trees during the construction of the project, though they have not provided any topographic information to support this number. The designer for the project proposer refers to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) specifications which provide "when local conditions prevent a horizontal separation of 10 feet, a 162(ffl'~g~reek Ave. S.E., Prior Lake. Minnesota 55372-1714 / Ph. (612) 447-4230 / Fax (612) 447-4245 AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY E.II.1PLOYER watermain may be laid closer to a storm or sanitary sewer provided that: a. the bottom of the watermain is at least 18 inches above the top of the sewer; or b. where this vertical separation cannot be obtained, the sewer shall be constructed of materials and with joints that are equivalent to watermain standards of construction and shall be pressure tested to assure water tightness prior to backfilling." The project proposer has indicated a willingness to construct to the MDH specifications. The City specifications do not address this deviation because it is primarily aimed at situations where rock is encountered, which is not a concern in Prior Lake. In addition to the separation issue, there is an issue concerning the accessibility of fire apparatus. Currently, due to the narrow road width, short turning radii, and trees so close to the road, the fire department most likely could not get their trucks into the area in the event of fire. The Uniform Fire Code requires fire access roads to have a minimum unobstructed width of twenty (20) feet. This does not exist now, and it is not clear if this would exist upon the completion of the proposed project. The roads are private, yet the plat dedicated a fifty (50) foot public utility easement along the centerlines of the existing traveled ways. When asked why a fifty foot easement, the project proposer indicates they were planning for the future. Staff does not propose dedicating the streets to the public and meeting City standards for width, we only ask that the project comply with the Uniform Fire Code. It is staff's position that the additional trees lost in providing the ten (10) foot utility separation will be insignificant compared to the number of trees lost in complying with the Uniform Fire Code. I expect that Mr. Jim Boerhave representing the Homeowner's Association will be present to address the Council on this subject. ISSUES: Public Works staff sees a number of issues related to the proposed utility separation on the project: -+Public Health and Safety. The close proximity of the sewer and water increases the probability that a watermain break could cause undermining and rupture of the sewer thus leading to contamination of the entire water system. In addition, the inability of the fire department to access the area in the event of a fire is of great concern. MAPUULL.IlOC O+Maintenance. Although the MDH has a specification that allows for a lesser separation, the MDH does not have to maintain the system. The equipment we currently use for utility repair is not specialized enough to easily contend with two pipes as near as 2 feet together. Pipes in this close proximity makes working on either one very difficult. It is staff's desire to develop a system that is maintainable for the long haul, utilities will generally last 30-50 years. Further, trees so close to the roadway make it extremely difficult to maneuver with equipment. Any dig to repair a utility essentially closes the road to homeowners as well as emergency services. O+Past Practice. There has been no project previously constructed that has deviated from the ten foot horizontal separation. The project proposer's have indicated their area is unique because of the trees, but with the many utility projects that went in the 1970's there were plenty of areas that lost trees due to the separation requirement. The unique part of this area is the public utility easement with private road. Where previous projects aligned with a street project there would not have been a width problem because the City standard for street width was sufficient to provide for the ten (10) foot separation of utilities. O+Precedence. Staff is particularly concerned about the precedent a deviation from the standard would set. There are still many undeveloped areas within the City that may some day want utility service. This is not to mention any annexations that may occur in the near or distant future. Staff believes it is appropriate in this instance to conform with City design standards and it is staff's desire to develop a system for the long term out to 50 years. Staff appreciates the homeowner's desire to maintain the character of the environment and minimize the loss of trees. Trenchless technology exists that would allow them to construct the system to our standards with little tree loss. However, these methods are expensive. From the staff perspective, the trenchless approach is a "win-win" allowing trees to be protected while maintaining the 10 foot horizontal separation. ALTERNATIVES: The alternatives are: 1. Support staff recommendation to construct utilities In accordance with City standards. MAPUIILl..DOC RECOMMENDATION: ACTION REQUIRED: MAPUUll..OOC 2. Overturn staff recommendation to construct utilities in accordance with City standards and provide staff with direction. 3. Deny this item for a specific reason and provide staff with direction. 4. Table this item until some date in the future. Alternative No. 1 Prior Lake Volunteer Fire Department MEMO TO: FROM: SUBJECT: DATE: FRANK BOYLES, CITY MANAGER DAVE CHROMY, FIRE CHIEF MAPLE HILLS ROADWAY ISSUES MAY 22. 1997 Upon reviewing the Maple Hills Addition roadways, conversing with Mr. Jim Boerhave, consulting with the State Fire Marshall's office and reviewing Section 902 of the Uniform Fire Code, I am requiring a 20 foot unobstructed roadway for Embassy Circle and Mitoka Circle as installation of sewer and water lines occur. In addition to the 20 foot roadway clearance, a vertical clearance of 13' 6" must be maintained. Attached to this memo is a copy of the Uniform Fire Code section that deals with Fire Department Access. Please note Section 902.2.2.4 dealing with dead end roads in excess of 150 feet. Embassy Circle and Mitoka Circle both fall into this category. While improvements are being made on these two streets to accommodate water and sewer lines and the 20 foot unobstructed roadway, turn arounds for fire apparatus must be made at the end of each of these two streets. Design of such turn arounds can be discussed with the Maple Hills Homeowners Association so as to fit the needs of our fire trucks. Compliance with these fire code requirements must be complete upon completion of sewer and water installation. G23:xJA gUZ ATAW 901.5-902.2.2.4 1994 UNIFORM FIRE CODE 901.5 Obstruction and Control of Fire Apparatus Access Roads and Fire Protection Equip- ment. See Sections 902.2.4 and 1001.7. I 901.6 Fire Protection in Recreational Vehicle, Mobile Home and Manufactured Housing Parks, Sales Lots and Storage Lots. Recreational vehicle. mobile home and manufactured hous- ing parks, sales lots and storage lots shall provide and maintain fire hydrants and access roads in accordance with Sections 902 and 903. EXCEPTION: Recreational vehicle parks located in remote areas shall be provided with protection and access roadways as required by the chief. SECTION 902 - FIRE DEPARTMENT ACCESS 902.1 General. Fire department access roads shall be provided and maintained in accordance with Sections 90 I and 902. I 902.2 Fire Apparatus Access Roads. 902.2.1 Required access. Fire apparatus access roads shall be provided in accordance with Sec- tions 90 I and 902.2 for every facility, building or portion of a building hereafter constructed or moved into or within the jurisdiction when any portion of the facility or any portion of an exterior wall of the first story of the building is located more than 150 feet (45 720 mm) from fire apparatus access as measured by an approved route around the exterior of the building or facility. See also Section 902.3 for personnel access to buildings. EXCEPTIONS: 1. When buildings are completely protected with an approved automatic fire sprinkler system. the provisions of Sections 902.2.1 and 902.2.2 may be modified by the chief. 2. When access roads cannot be installed due to location on property. topography. waterways. nonnego- tiable grades or other similar conditions. the chief is authorized to require additional fire protection as specified in Section 1001.9. 3. When there are not more than two Group R. Division 3. or Group U Occupancies. the requirements of Sections 902.2. I and 902.2.2 may be modified by the chief. More than one fire apparatus road shall be provided when it is determined by the chief that access by a single road might be impaired by vehicle congestion. condition of terrain. climatic conditions or other factors that could limit access. For high-piled combustible storage. see Section 8102.5.1. For required access during construction. alteration or demolition of a building, see Section 8704.2. 902.2.2 Specifications. ) 902.2.2.1 Dimensions. Fire apparatus access roads shall have an unobstructed width of not less than 20 feet (6096 mm) and an unobstructed vertical clearance of not less than 13 feet 6 inches (4115 mm). I ) . EXCEPTION: Vertical clearance may be reduced, provided such reduction does not impair access by fire apparatus and approved signs are installed and maintained indicating the established vertical clearance when approved by the chief. Vertical clearances or widths shall be increased when. in the opinion of the chief, vertical clear- ances or widths are not adequate to provide fire apparatus access. 902.2.2.2 Surface. Fire apparatus access roads shall be designed and maintained to support the imposed loads of fire apparatus and shall be provided with a surface so as to provide all-weather driving capabilities. 902.2.2.3 Turning radius. 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