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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-2015-08-24 BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 4:45 p.m. August 24, 2015 PRESENT: Mayor Myrick Commissioners (3) - Warden, Darling, Jenkins OTHERS PRESENT: Superintendent of Public Works - Thorne Asst. Supt. for Streets & Facilities – Benjamin Director of Engineering - West Parking Director – Nagy City Attorney - Lavine Information Management Specialist – Myers Alderperson/Liaison Fleming Bridge Engineer - Gebre Civil Engineer - Yost DPW/Supt. Office 2015 Interns: David Picinich, Cornell Local Roads Program Pavement Management Project Mykola Kyrychuk, Retaining Wall Inventory Project EXCUSED: Asst. Supt. for Water & Sewer - Whitney Commissioners Greene, Goldsmith Call to Order/Agenda Review: Commissioner Warden voiced his concern about item 9C entitled “Resolution Authorizing Agreement with Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services for Future Improvements to Lake Avenue and Eastern Portion of Adams Street” being a voting item on today’s agenda. He questioned whether discussion of the resolution had taken place prior to today’s meeting. He wants to make sure that the neighbors of the project support it and have had an opportunity to provide input. Commissioners Jenkins and Darling responded that the item had been discussed a few months ago by the Board. Commissioner Warden stated that if the neighborhood was fine with the proposal, then he did not have a problem with voting on it today. Mayor's Communications: The Mayor had no communications at this time. Communications and Hearings From Persons Before the Board: No one appeared to address the Board. Reports: Director of Engineering West reported on the following items: o Great progress is being made with the repair/construction of sidewalk around the City – especially on the north side of the City. o The opening ceremony for the final phase of the Cayuga Waterfront Trail is August 30th. Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes August 24, 2015 2 o All the concrete repairs have been made at the Seneca Street Parking Garage; they will be shop blasting and coating on Thursday, 8/28. They will not work on Friday because of the Commons Grand Opening Celebration taking place that day. o The 2015 road paving project will start on Wednesday, August 26th, on Cayuga Street; the street will be posted for no-parking. The work will include sidewalk and ramp work, then the repaving of the street. The project will then move to Giles Street three weeks later (weather permitting). Mayor Myrick stated that he is very happy with the great reviews he has been receiving on all of the sidewalk work being done – especially from Disability Advisory Council Chair, Larry Roberts. Assistant Superintendent for Streets and Facilities Benjamin reported on the following items: o Crews finished the complete repaving project (including utility work underneath the road) on South Aurora Street in time for Ithaca College students returning for the Fall semester. o Drainage pipes have been installed on the roof of the Streets and Facilities building on Pier Road that connect to the roof drains. The water from the roof will now be directed towards the ditch. o Crews have been catching up on requests for different paving patches around the City – mostly small ones that were created as a result of utility work. The requests had been piling up and so it will be good to get caught up. A lot of staff are on vacation as well so that has affected work being done. He has been doing double duty as his Supervisor for streets is on vacation. Director of Parking Nagy reported on the following items: o Digital Pay Machine Statistics to Date: 16,358 transactions $27,888.00 in revenue 1,100.00 transactions/day $21,588.00 from meters $49,476.00 Total Revenue o Total Revenue from meters in 2014: $64,263.00; projected for 2015: $76,818.00, an increase of 19.5%. o The pay machines are working; he is working with people that have communicated challenges to their use to find solutions o He is working to have additional signage placed on meter poles to help direct people to the location of the pay stations o He is also working to inform the public on the Park Mobile application for smart phones that can be used to set up accounts from which to pay for parking that will just require people to enter the amount of time they want to pay for parking because everything else will already be set up; people can also set up a Park Mobile account online or by calling them. o The Park Mobile Application became available on August 14th, which was a Friday, there were 19 transactions even though there was no prior notice given to the public about that option. On Monday, August 17th, there were 34 transactions, 89 transactions on Tuesday, August 18th, 107 transactions on Wednesday, August 19th, 134 transactions on Thursday, August 20th, and 158 transactions on Friday, August 21st. That is a total of 541 transactions using the Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes August 24, 2015 3 Park Mobile app. A total revenue of $1,661.00, so it seems to be very well received by members of the community. Superintendent Thorne reported on the following items: o Temporary asphalt repairs were made to the sidewalk on Osmun Place because they were in such terrible condition. This is in a historic district and so people are upset about the use of asphalt; it is not a permanent repair but something had to be done because it had become hazardous. o A suggestion was made to staff that the millings from the Giles Street repaving project be put in the parking lot at the Wildflower Preserve. Right now, it is muddy with big holes in it; the millings would provide a permeable surface and be a good reuse of the road surface millings. He did reach out to the Natural Areas Commission and Conservation Advisory Council and they thought it was a good idea. Common Council Liaison Fleming reported on the following concerns from constituents: o The crosswalks at construction sites on Dryden Road need to be maintained o A crosswalk is needed at the bottom of the hill on State/Martin Luther King, Jr. Street at the Tuning Fork o A crosswalk is needed at the intersection of Quarry and State/Martin Luther King, Jr. Street o Concerns regarding noise from the construction of the new water plant; work is beginning before 7:30 a.m. – which is the allowed start time. Superintendent Thorne responded that staff did deliver the message to the contractor of the new water treatment plant that construction noise cannot begin before 7:30 a.m. He stated that there was an instance recently, where a last minute decision was made the night before, to allow the pouring of concrete at the site to begin prior to 7:30 a.m. This was done because of rain forecast for later in the day, and they needed to get the concrete poured that day. Please let staff know if noise before 7:30 a.m. is occurring so they can address it with the contractor accordingly. New Project Presentation: A. Pavement Management Project – Presented by David Picinich, Intern for the Engineering Department: Mr. Picinich had a PowerPoint presentation (which will be attached to the minutes for reference) which he used to show the Board information gained through the project, which was jointly funded by Cornell University and the City of Ithaca. He highlighted the following items: o 700 segments of roadway evaluated (excluding private roads and bridges) for a total of 67 miles of pavement inventory o The data was collected through a City of Ithaca GIS program which generated online maps which were very helpful to verify information from the field o The survey included the following categories:  Condition of roadways  Types of cracking and reasons for cracking  Identification of ruts in roads  Identification of bleeding, which is when the road surface wears away (it’s not seen too often) Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes August 24, 2015 4  Bridges not included because those repairs are so difficult o NYS Route 13 left out; it is a roadway maintained by New York State Department of Transportation; private roads on Cornell Campus left out as well o The program used will suggest the best repair for each road since there are a variety of ways to repair roadways o The program will provide cost of different types of repairs and months of life for roadway gained by doing the repairs using the different methods o The program can assign a priority value, which is self- explanatory, for determining budgets and which roads to repair first o Roads with more traffic take priority over lower traveled roads o The annual budget can be input into the program to observe a possible yearly repair plan based upon the budget o The program can determine what roads are in which condition, by percentage, as well as by condition such as poor, fair and good as well as how priorities should be ranked based on that information o The program can suggest what the repairs involve and associated costs The Mayor thanked Mr. Picinich for the valuable and remarkable information that resulted from his work throughout the summer. He likes the scoring system as a way to prioritize what roads should be repaired first. He noted that the maps with that information show the reality of what city staff already knows. This will be a most useful tool for staff because it will provide the ability to show both the Mayor and Common Council where road repairs are needed, costs, prioritization, and what will happen if the roadways are not repaired. This information will help the City make better decisions as well as explain those decisions to public. Mr. Picinich noted that the maps that were created as a result of this work can be updated as repairs are made to various roadways. Supt. Thorne stated that the City will have ownership of the program, and he would recommend that a similar type project be conducted every 3-5 years to update the data so that it can continue to be used as a tool for the City going forward. He noted that Cornell University would like to get on a 5 year schedule to do study to provide a snapshot of where we are and what needs to be done Director of Engineering West stated that this information can also be used as a tool for evaluating other repair programs, and demonstrating “how much bang for the buck” could be gained if repair work done one way; or, if something less expensive is done -- what are you losing in terms of length of life of the road by doing that. Alderperson Fleming asked what the relationship was for this project between the City of Ithaca and Cornell University. Supt. Thorne responded that Cornell University provided the funding, the computer program, and instructions on how to evaluate the roads. Civil Engineer Yost, who supervised Mr. Picinich (and Mr. Kyrychuk, who will do the next presentation on Retaining Walls) stated that with this information regarding the condition of roadways that different scenarios can be evaluated to see what could be done with various budgets, to see where to do the work, and what the costs would be. The Mayor and Board expressed their thanks to Mr. Picinich and Civil Engineer Yost for conducting the research on the condition of roadways and for providing the very useful information that can be used in the future to determine budgets and work plans. Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes August 24, 2015 5 B. Retaining Wall Inventory Project: Mr. Kyrychuk used a PowerPoint presentation (which will be attached to the minutes for reference) to show the Board the information gained through the project about city-owned retaining walls. He highlighted the following items for the Board: The program goal was to determine the number of retaining walls in the city, determine who owns them, and where there are right-of-ways It determined the condition of the walls – bad, good, new A GIS app (ARCgis) a mobile app was developed by the City’s GIS team to use in the field to document findings – there are 255 city-owned segments/walls as shown on a map identified with red dots; private walls are identified by blue dots (map included in PowerPoint presentation which will be attached to the minutes). The program used a table where various values could be input related to condition, location, if there is a road or sidewalk supported by the wall, what condition they are in as well as the wall, what kind of repair work would be required Other values such as definition of the primary function of the wall, slopes, whether its near a stream bank, private or public land The condition assessment of the wall is very important – the bottom, middle, and top are evaluated and then assigned numerical ratings according to their condition, whether the wall passes or fails, and what the consequences would be if the wall fails The evaluation determined that there are 29 walls that need immediate attention, 41 are okay, and 185 will need work in the future. Mayor Myrick thanked Mr. Kyrychuk for the wonderful presentation that provided very quantitative results. Director of Engineering West asked about the rating system, and how did a rating get assigned to the wall. Mr. Kyrychuk responded that the rating was given for the part of the wall that was in the worst condition. Civil Engineer Yost explained that the program also indicates what the impact of a wall failing would be. For example, the retaining wall along East State/Martin Luther King, Jr. Street, if that wall failed a lane of the street would be lost. So, one of the great things about this program will be the ability to prioritize retaining wall work based upon its proximity to a street or sidewalk. When that is known, then budgets can be developed for repair of both items in conjunction with one another. She stated that the study was proposed by New York State Department of Transportation similar to the way that the bridge inspection process works. Asst. Supt. Benjamin asked whether the study would be able to indicate the impact that a private retaining wall failing would have on city property? Civil Engineer Yost responded that the program would be able to do that once it had the information, the study conducted this summer only evaluated city-owned retaining walls, because there was not enough time to do both. It would be a great program to continue, as time, staff, and budgets allow. The study could verify the location and condition of private walls, and include similar information as was done for study of city-owned walls. She also noted that this study was able to document some, but not all, of the various materials that the walls were constructed with. Mayor Myrick stated that the City was very fortunate to have such remarkable interns and projects completed this summer. He thanked them and Civil Engineer Yost for her supervision, and for providing this remarkable data to use going forward as budget decisions need to be made. Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes August 24, 2015 6 Administration and Communications: Approval of the July 27, 2015 Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes - Resolution By Commissioner Darling: Seconded by Commissioner Warden RESOLVED, That the minutes of the July 27, 2015 Board of Public Works meeting be approved as published. Carried Unanimously Buildings, Properties, Refuse & Transit: Appeal of Bill for Tree Clean Up at 612 Cliff Street - Resolution By Commissioner Darling: Seconded by Commissioner Warden WHEREAS, Barbra Jastran, owner of 612 Cliff Street, was billed for the cost of calling in City crews to remove a portion of tree that fell into the roadway at 612 Cliff Street on October 15, 2014; and WHEREAS, Ms. Jastran claimed the tree was in the City’s right-of-way and showed evidence that she had paid a tree service to remove the rest of the tree that fell outside of the roadway; and WHEREAS, Assistant Superintendent Benjamin’s investigation of the tree’s location revealed that the tree was actually astride the right-of-way line; and WHEREAS, the tree was partially on the City right-of-way and partially on Ms. Jastran’s property, and that Ms. Jastran already paid for the cleanup of the tree outside of the roadway, staff recommends that the bill for the City’s response to clear the roadway be expunged along with any penalties associated with that bill; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works hereby expunges invoice #00019766, for $686.75 and the penalty of $34.34 associated with that invoice. Carried Unanimously Highways, Streets & Sidewalk: A. Recommendation That Common Council Approve a New Bus Service in the City of Ithaca - Resolution By Commissioner Warden: Seconded by Commissioner Jenkins WHEREAS, Section 346-31 of the City Code states that no bus shall operate, stop on or stand on any City street, nor shall such bus pick up or discharge passengers on any such City street or curb, or any other public property, or at or within 200 feet of any City bus stop in the corporate limits of the City of Ithaca, unless a permit is obtained therefor from the Common Council or its designee; and WHEREAS, the Department of Public Works has received an application from Big Red Bullet, LLC to operate a transit service between Ithaca and New York City, including stops in the City; and WHEREAS, Tompkins County Area Transit (TCAT) has expressed concerns about the two proposed bus stops, namely in front of the Performing Arts Center and the East Seneca Street bus stop; and WHEREAS, TCAT and staff have recommended use of the south curbline of East Green Street, immediately east of the pedestrian signal, staff has discussed the option with the representative of Big Red Bullet, who is in agreement with this location; and WHEREAS, the applicant and staff have not yet found an acceptable alternate location in Collegetown, but are both willing to continue working on a possible location; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works hereby recommends to Common Council approval of the use of the East Green Street location and the related proposed City streets; and, be it further Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes August 24, 2015 7 RESOLVED, That the Board recommends that Common Council delegate the authority to approve a second location for passenger pick up and discharge to the Board of Public Works, should the applicant and staff find an acceptable alternate location in Collegetown, after consultation with TCAT. Carried Unanimously B. Award of Professional Services Contract for West State/Martin Luther King, Jr. Street Corridor Enhancements - Resolution By Commissioner Darling: Seconded by Commissioner Warden WHEREAS, professional services proposals were received on January 20, 2015 for the West State/Martin Luther King Jr. Street Corridor Enhancements (CP 790, PIN 395050) project; and WHEREAS, staff has reviewed the nine proposals received and made recommendations for award; and WHEREAS, engineering studies and designs are a Type II action requiring no further review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act and the City Environmental Quality Review Ordinance; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Board of Public Works hereby awards the professional services contract for West State/Martin Luther King Jr. Street Corridor Enhancements (CP 790, PIN 395050) to C&S Engineers, Inc., of Syracuse, New York, for an amount not to exceed $130,000; and, be it further RESOLVED, That the Superintendent of Public Works of the City of Ithaca be hereby authorized to enter into said contract under the usual terms and conditions. Carried Unanimously C. Resolution Authorizing Agreement with Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services for Future Improvements to Lake Avenue and the Eastern Portion of Adams Street By Commissioner Darling: Seconded by Commissioner Jenkins WHEREAS, Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc. (INHS) in 2014 purchased the parcel known as 210 Hancock Street and began seeking community and Planning Board input; and WHEREAS, based on this input, INHS has proposed a development plan of the 210 Hancock parcel that includes improvements to Lake Avenue for a pedestrian and bicycle pathway and incorporation of a playground structure in the eastern section of Adams Street; and WHEREAS, City staff is generally supportive of the development plans proposed by INHS, and INHS is in the process of obtaining site plan approval; and WHEREAS, INHS has agreed to construct and maintain such improvements at its cost in accordance with City specifications affording City vehicles the ability to continue to access the creek through the improved site as needed for public works or safety purposes; and WHEREAS, the improvements and land underneath such improvements shall be the property of the City, and will be open to the public; and WHEREAS, INHS has agreed to be responsible for maintenance and liabilities resulting from use of the improved site, except for any liabilities which are caused by the City’s negligence or willful misconduct, which shall be the City’s responsibility; and WHEREAS, in consideration for these agreements, the City has agreed to seek discontinuance of Lake Avenue and the eastern portion of Adams Street; and WHEREAS, the discontinuance process will require environmental review, public comment, and discretionary approval (or denial) by the Board of Public Works; and Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes August 24, 2015 8 WHEREAS, INHS has asked for an agreement from the City that it commits to seek discontinuance in order to satisfy certain requirements related to the Low Income Housing Tax Credits that INHS is seeking; and WHEREAS, the Common Council is considering a resolution to this same effect; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Mayor is authorized to execute an agreement with INHS substantially similar to that included herewith, and for a term not to exceed fifty (50) years, concerning the use of Lake Avenue and the eastern portion of Adams Street. The Parks Commission provided the following recommendation regarding the Proposed Playground and Creek Walk as Part of the 210 Hancock Street Project: Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services (INHS) presented its proposed development at 210 Hancock Street to the Parks Commission at its meeting on May 12, 2015. The Commission’s discussion focused on the creation of a new playground and green space along a walkway adjacent to Cascadilla Creek. The playground will be located in the northeast corner of the site, along Adams Street and across from Conley Park. INHS will build and maintain the playground, but it will be open to the public. The creek walk is proposed for construction in the current Lake Street right-of- way along the east side of the project site. It will be primarily a pedestrian walkway but will be open to City and emergency vehicles. After discussion of the project, the Parks Commission voted unanimously to support the development of a creek walk within the Lake Street right-of-way and the construction of a playground as part of the proposed development at 210 Hancock Street, noting that both features will be positive additions to the Northside neighborhood. The Commission also noted the importance of creating a visual connection between the new playground and Conley Park so that the new playground feels open to the public. City Attorney Lavine explained that this resolution pertains to the block of Lake Avenue that is adjacent to Hancock Street and a small section of Adams Street. Currently, they are city streets, the proposal would discontinue the use of the street by the City of Ithaca. This resolution does not approve the discontinuance of the street; this resolution authorizes Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services (INHS) to make the necessary improvements along Lake Avenue, with approval by the City. If the City were to discontinue the use of this portion of Lake Avenue it would take months and lots of discussion by both the Board of Public Works and Common Council before it could be removed from the City’s inventory of streets. Commissioner Warden stated that he has been following the evolution and discussions of the proposed project. He knows that there have been changes made as a result of those discussions and input from the public. He questioned whether or not the neighborhood has provided input that supports this proposal? He also has some concern about the berm in the area, how it meets up with the existing park (Conley Park), how it effects the creek, and do the residents of Willow Avenue support it. Commissioner Darling asked what sort of right-of-way will the City keep along Cascadilla creek, and would the proposal maintain access for the City to do any necessary work in the creek? City Attorney Lavine responded that this agreement explicitly provides to the City of Ithaca, the right to get equipment in, and do work anytime - cart blanc. The actual design of the street right- of-way will create a path to Conley Park and the playground there. The Planning and Development Board wanted emergency vehicles and the city vehicles/equipment to have access anytime for whatever work in the area and around the creek might be needed. This proposal would help to make the street feel more like the Cayuga Waterfront Trail and be very pedestrian and bike oriented. The multi-age playground will be fenced and accessed from a portion of Adams Street. Fencing or a hedgerow will clearly delineate city property from INHS owned property. INHS will also maintain the area once the new housing project is constructed. The project will contain one building that will be one and two story townhouses, a Head Start facility, office suite, and ground floor parking. The second building will be three stories and contain one and two bedroom apartments. Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes August 24, 2015 9 Director of Parking Nagy asked how many parking spaces were planned. City Attorney Lavine responded that there will be sixty-four spaces. The Planning and Development Board has been reviewing this proposed project at length since February, with final approval expected on August 25th. The Board of Zoning Appeals has granted three variances for the property as well. Commissioner Jenkins asked how many townhouses are included in the project. City Attorney Lavine responded that there will be twelve two-story townhouses that will be constructed to look like typical Fall Creek homes with seven for sale and five for rent. Mayor Myrick asked Mr. Joe Bowes, from INHS, who has been involved with the project since the beginning, to talk about how public input was obtained for the project. Mr. Bowes explained that INHS bought the property in August 2014. They went through a four month community engagement process. INHS provided a really basic presentation of project for input and then proposed designs to community; from the input received they then narrowed the project down from three proposed designs to one. The community provided input for the final design. The public loved and very much supported the idea of the creek walk and closing Lake Avenue to vehicle traffic. Director of Engineering West reviewed the map and information that was presented earlier in the meeting regarding the road pavement study, and determined that the condition of Lake Avenue is very poor, so it would be good to take the street out of the city’s street inventory at some point in the future because it would save the City the money it would cost to make improvements to it. Commissioner Warden asked what impact it would have on the project if the Board delayed a vote on the resolution until its next meeting. City Attorney Lavine responded that Common Council meets on September 2nd, and does not necessarily need a resolution from the Board of Public Works to vote, but it would be helpful to have the recommendation from the Board prior to their vote. Commissioner Warden expressed his concern that the neighborhood be provided with more time and opportunity to provide input into the proposal as he has received a lot of feedback from the neighborhood expressing various concerns. He would like something e-mailed to him that would indicate that the neighborhood supports the project. Commissioner Darling, as the Board of Public Works liaison to the Planning and Development Board, responded that all the public input and feedback is available online and was also provided to the Planning and Development Board before they made their decision. He stated that everyone has supported the idea of closing Lake Avenue even though they may not necessarily support the project proposed by INHS on Hancock Street. Mayor Myrick stated that he would like the Board to vote on this today. It would be good for Common Council to have their recommendation before they vote. In addition, he has heard no objections to the proposed creek walk. Commissioner Warden expressed concern about how the creek walk would interact/impact Conley Park? Commissioner Darling responded that no work is being done at Conley Park as a result of the project; but the creek walk would open up the walkway to the park for better access. He stated that the Parks Commission supports the proposal and is very interested in thinning out some of the brush there to make a nicer connection between Lake Avenue and Conley Park. INHS has no plans to do anything with the Conley Park. Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes August 24, 2015 10 City Attorney Lavine confirmed that no work is planned for Conley Park as a result of this project. The proposed agreement provides the City of Ithaca with a great deal of latitude across the next twenty years to make any improvements that may be needed. The City of Ithaca will not have any control over the playground that INHS will build as part of their project. Asst. Supt. Benjamin noted that there is a catch basin is located on the south side of the curb line on the corner of Lake Avenue and Franklin Street; it then goes on to Adams Street and Second Street; an area where flooding or ice jams have occurred in the past. Discussion followed on the floor regarding what options might be open to the City, when and if, the catch basin for the storm sewer should need repair or replacement. It was noted that INHS’s proposed playground, to be constructed as part of their project, might interfere with work the City might need to do on the infrastructure in that area. The City of Ithaca would be responsible for the cost to repair or replace the playground after the work is completed. Supt. Thorne noted that this is a lower type concern at this point for both the City and INHS. He stated that he is sure the City could work with INHS as their project progresses to make sure something new is not built on or near the storm sewer/catch basin infrastructure. City Attorney Lavine noted that the actual construction of INHS’ project is still a couple of years off from now; perhaps 2017. If INHS had to adjust the location of the playground they would be open to that; and the Board of Public Works would have a lot of leverage over the placement of it. In addition, the future discussion of discontinuance of Lake Avenue will entail a huge and lengthy process with lots of discussion by the Board of Public Works and Common Council; this concern could be raised at that time. A Vote on the Resolution Resulted As Follows: Carried Unanimously Parking & Traffic: A. A ResolutionTo Amend the Vehicle and Traffic Schedules for Bridge Street, Schedule XII, Parking Prohibited at All Times and Schedule XV, Parking Prohibited Certain Hours By Commissioner Warden: Seconded by Commissioner Darling WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works is authorized by Section 346-4 of the City of Ithaca Code to adopt and to amend a system of Schedules in order to administer the Vehicle and Traffic Law; and WHEREAS, residents of Bridge Street have petitioned to change the on-street parking regulations for the east side of the street to be “No Parking, Noon to 9 P.M., from May 1st to September 30th”; and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works is in agreement with this proposal; and WHEREAS, staff has noticed that Bridge Street is not currently listed in the parking related Schedules and therefore the Schedules do not reflect the No Parking Anytime signage as currently posted on the west side of the street; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the west side of Bridge Street, from East State/MLK Jr. Street to Giles Street, be listed in Schedule XII, Parking Prohibited at All Times, to reflect the existing, posted signs; and, be it further RESOLVED, That the east side of Bridge Street be listed in Schedule XV, Parking Prohibited Certain Hours, as shown below: Name of Street Side Time Limit; Hours/Days Location Bridge Street East 12pm to 9pm/All Days May 1st – September 30th From East State/MLK Jr. St. to Giles Street Carried Unanimously Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes August 24, 2015 11 Authorization to Begin a Merchant Parking Validation Program - Resolution By Commissioner Darling: Seconded by Commissioner Warden WHEREAS, a validation program was established in October 2014 to assist customers to the downtown merchants by allowing up to two hours of free parking in the city-owned parking garages; and WHEREAS, the validation program was funded by the Commons Project and the Downtown Ithaca Alliance; and WHEREAS, the program ended on July 31, 2015, to coincide with the opening of the Commons to the public; and WHEREAS, merchants are interested in establishing a new validation program through the use of the new parking pay stations which allow single-use discount codes; and WHEREAS, Tracer Tickets are already available for anyone to purchase at $.65 per hour for use in the parking garages; and WHEREAS, staff would recommend a discount parking program for merchants of the city to provide parking to their customers at a rate of $.75 per hour for on-street parking and $.50 per hour for garage parking; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works approves the establishment of a Merchant Validation Program for merchants to purchase discount codes for on-street parking at $.75 per hour and/or Tracer Tickets for garage parking at $.50 per hour to be given to customers for up to two hours of free parking. These codes and tracer tickets should be used to promote future visits to their businesses. Carried Unanimously Water & Sewer: Appeal of Water Bill for Ithaca Children's Garden at 600 Block of Taughannock Boulevard - Resolution WHEREAS, in 2004 the City of Ithaca DPW Water & Sewer Division installed a water service line in the Ithaca Children’s Garden (ICG). DPW installed roughly 300-LF of 2-inch diameter K Copper water service line along with a curb valve, 8 unions, and a tee fitting for a yard hydrant; and WHEREAS, subsequent to the installation of ICG’s water service it was discovered that the 2- inch K copper tubing we had purchased was flawed, in that the outside diameter (OD) did not meet industry specifications because it was slightly smaller. This smaller OD is a problem where the pipe is coupled (joined) using compression fittings which are all designed for standard OD tubing. We have encountered leaks from loose fittings in one other location where this pipe had also been used; and WHEREAS, DPW W&S Division has repaired leaks on at least two compression connections at the ICG since 2004, and we recognize that there are at least 8 more locations where this run of copper tubing is joined with compression couplings where potential leaks are a high probability; and WHEREAS, DPW W&S plans to locate existing leaks and schedule repairs for the current leaks on this service line in the Fall of 2015; and WHEREAS, the ICG is requesting relief for the years 2013-2015 where the water billing is above a previous annual average of 168-HCF; and WHEREAS, the difference between the previous annual average and the billing for 2013 of 177- HCF is 9-HCF and for the 2104 billing of 805-HCF is 637-HCF; and WHEREAS, 9-HCF at the 2013 water rate of $4.73/HCF totals $42.57, and 637-HCF at the 2014 water rate of $5.11/HCF totals $3,255.07, and 2015 readings to date have not yet exceeded the 168-HCF; and Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes August 24, 2015 12 WHEREAS, the ICG has been paying the bill all along; and WHEREAS, Water Department Staff recommends to the Board of Public Works, based upon the forgoing, that actual metered consumption above an annual 168-HCF will not be billed until the DPW completes repairs on the water service line we originally installed in 2004, and all consumption above 168-HCF over the last two years be refunded; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, That a refund of $42.57 be made for 2013, a refund of $3,255.07 be made for 2014, and future use above 168-HCF in 2015 not be billed, until all the necessary repairs are made by the Water and Sewer Department, to the Ithaca Children’s Garden account #7717306400. Carried Unanimously Discussion Items: Approval of Locations in Cass Park for the Public Art Commissions Mural and Street Art Program: WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca Public Art Commission (PAC) has been established to, among other duties, review and advise Common Council on proposals for the exhibition and display of public art in City spaces, buildings, facilities, infrastructure, and to review development proposals for decorative elements in the city’s public spaces; and WHEREAS, in 2010, the PAC created a mural and street art program to beautify blank walls within the city while providing local artists from all sections of the community an opportunity to showcase their work; and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works approved several City-owned sites for inclusion on the list of potential sites in City of Ithaca Public Art Commission’s Mural and Street Art Program by resolution on May 19, 2010, and approved additional sites for inclusion in the program since that time; and WHEREAS, as a result of this approval, the PAC has worked with more than 50 artists to install murals on City-owned property throughout the city, and the response to the new murals has been overwhelmingly positive; and WHEREAS, the PAC would like to consider all five outbuildings and the exterior of the main building in Cass Park as locations for future murals; and WHEREAS, the Parks Commission has discussed these sites as locations for future murals and is supportive of murals in Cass Park, provided that the murals are appropriate for a family park setting; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works approves the five outbuildings and the exterior of the main building in Cass Park for inclusion on the list of potential sites for the PAC’s Mural and Street Art Program; and, be it further RESOLVED, That the PAC will continue to work with Planning Department staff to conduct a mutually acceptable public input procedure for engaging nearby businesses, residences, and/or business and neighborhood associations for each specific project; and, be it further RESOLVED, That the PAC will work with the City Attorney to ensure that any art mural RFP or contract with a participating artist reflects and accommodates the needs and constraints of the City. Mayor Myrick read the proposed resolution. Commissioner Warden expressed his support for the project. He also hopes that the Board would be able to review the actual designs once they are available. Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes August 24, 2015 13 Mayor Myrick stated that all the proposed mural designs for Cass Park would need to come before the Board of Public Works for approval. He voiced his support for the project and feels it is a great program to beautify the City of Ithaca. The most recent mural was done in the Dryden Road parking garage and is beautiful. It has made a big difference in the appearance of the garage in a very positive way. Board of Public Works members voiced their support for the proposal; the resolution will be placed on the September 14th agenda for a vote. Director of Engineering West brought up a point of interest for the Board, as a result of the last time that Director of Parking Nagy and Planner Wilson, took the proposal for the mural for the Dryden Road parking garage to Common Council for support. Common Council members were very surprised to find out that the City would be financing some of the cost of the mural painting. It might be helpful, in the future, if statistics on costs for the clean-up of graffiti on City structures versus the cost to support public art murals could be presented to Common Council to show them how much maintenance costs have been reduced by the public art mural program. He hoped that Mayor Myrick could assist staff in providing this information to Common Council at future Common Council meetings. Mayor Myrick responded that he would because that was a very fitting anecdote to share with Common Council members to encourage their support for the program. Board of Public Works members voiced their support for the proposal; the resolution will be placed on the September 14th agenda for a vote. Lake Street Public Park Enhancements - Design Alternatives - Proposed Resolution WHEREAS, currently, the City of Ithaca Department of Public Works and Project Consultant (Trowbridge & Wolf Landscape Architects LLP) are working on the Lake Street Public Park Enhancement Project (“Enhancement”); and WHEREAS, the Enhancement proposes safety improvements and aesthetic enhancements to the existing public park located at the southeast corner of the Lake Street Bridge over Fall Creek; and WHEREAS, on December 1st, 2014, the Board of Public Works unanimously authorized staff to undertake said Enhancement as part of the Lake Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project (CP#791); and WHEREAS, on February 5, 2015, Common Council approved an increase to CP #791 by an amount not to exceed $30,000 for a total project authorization of $1,494,250; and WHEREAS, multiple design alternatives are being considered for the project; and WHEREAS, after consulting with the public and advisory groups, the City of Ithaca Engineering Department, together with project consultant, has recommended a design alternative which includes pedestrian safety rail design (wood handrail, galvanized steel posts with wider galvanized mesh-Alternative 2B), chip seal pavement (Alternative 1) and chain with sign as an alternative to a gate (Alternative 1); and WHEREAS, the estimated total cost to implement the recommended alternative is $199,400; and WHEREAS, total funding of $199,500 for the Enhancement is derived from $30,000 in IURA block grant monies, $97,500 from the Regional Economic Development Council, up to $11,000 from the City of Ithaca Sidewalk Program, $20,000 from the Tompkins County Tourism Capital Grant Program, $30,000 from the issuance of Serial Bonds, and $11,000 from the Lake Street Bridge Project; and, therefore be it further RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works hereby approves the implementation of the recommended design alternative; and, be it further Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes August 24, 2015 14 RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works hereby authorizes the Superintendent of Public Works to proceed with the recommended design. Bridge Systems Engineer Gebre walked the Board through the proposed design alternatives. He reported that both the Parks Commission and Natural Areas Commission provided input about the project. He reported that the main concerns about the project have centered around the safety rail and pavement designs. He is looking to the Board for their input as to how to proceed with the project, knowing the concerns and constraints of the project and the approved funding for it. He stated that staff would recommend the wood and galvanized steel rail design to reflect the natural area the project is located in, and provide for a longer life of the railing. Staff would recommend concrete for the pathway; however, there was no support for concrete by the Natural Areas Commission or the Parks Commission. Staff also recommends a chain gate with a sign to close/open the pathway. Mayor Myrick wanted to make sure that the proposed chipped seal for the trail is porous; staff confirmed that it is. Commissioner Warden wanted to make sure that the chipped seal would be wheelchair accessible; it will. Commissioner Darling stated that he favors the use of concrete for the walkway. He visited the area this past weekend, and feels that a concrete path would provide more access to everyone and cost less cost for the City. He noted that the same type of proposed railing material – galvanized steel – was also used for the Six Mile Creek Walkway. He wanted to know what kind of repair work had been done on it by the City since it was installed. Asst. Supt. Benjamin responded, none – and it’s been there 10 years and still looks good. Director of Engineering West noted that staff can provide what the cost reduction would be to replace a concrete walkway with chip seal, and using concrete would save $3,000.00. Supt. Thorne stated that the chip seal has to be re-done every 8 years; concrete will last longer. Mayor Myrick noted that the public, Natural Areas Commission, and Parks Commission would push staff to take the project the other direction as far as what type of materials to use instead of following staff’s recommendations. Commission Darling reported that this is a very small place that people visit. The City of Ithaca would be improving access for everyone by following staff recommendations for what type of materials to use. If the City used the materials that the public and Natural and Parks Commission recommend that they will need maintenance more often. In addition, the City will end up paying more in maintenance and replacement costs if they are used. Concrete is cheaper, lasts longer, and will provide more access for everyone to the area. Bridge Systems Engineer Gebre stated that $12,500 would be saved by using galvanized instead of stainless steel. Director of Engineering West stated that staff feel all the proposed alternatives are good and the City could live with them. What drives staffs’ recommendation is that the use of the proposed materials fits within the authorization that the City has budgeted for it. It’s the Board's call; if it does not have to go back to Common Council for additional funding, then the conversation is done. If concrete is not used, it will place the project over budget and will need additional funding and approval from Common Council. Commissioner Darling expressed his support for the use of concrete with galvanized steel, and the less expensive railing. Bridge Systems Engineer Gebre noted that stainless steel could be used if the bike racks and benches were eliminated from the project. Board of Public Works Meeting Minutes August 24, 2015 15 Mayor Myrick stated that he would rather not send the proposal back to Common Council for additional funding approval. In addition, it’s aesthetically cleaner to use concrete because it’s sturdier. He also has not supported the objections raised by the Natural Areas Commission and Parks Commission; he would also vote for chip seal to make sure the project happens. Commissioner Darling stated that the proposal provides better access than there is now for both pedestrians and wheelchairs which would allow everyone to enjoy the space. Mayor Myrick stated that he would vote in support of the proposed resolution at the September 14th meeting of the Board, and for a project that fits within its approved budget. The resolution will be placed on the Board’s September 14th agenda for a vote. Adjournment: On a motion the meeting adjourned at 6:35 p.m. ______________________________ __________________________ Sarah L. Myers, Svante L. Myrick, Information Mgt. Specialist Mayor Da v i d P i c i n i c h  70 0 w i t h i n c i t y l i m i t s  Br i d g e s a n d p r i v a t e r o a d s e x c l u d e d  Us u a l l y o n e b l o c k , i . e . f r o m o n e c r o s s s t r e e t to t h e n e x t ◦ No t a l w a y s t h i s s i m p l e  Co m e s o u t t o a n a v e r a g e o f 5 0 0 f e e t p e r se g m e n t , 6 7 m i l e s o f p a v e m e n t i n v e n t o r i e d  Ve r i f y a n d u p d a t e G I S d a t a f o r e a c h s e g m e n t of p a v e m e n t - ◦ La n e s ◦ Cu r b t o C u r b W i d t h ◦ Sh o u l d e r T y p e ( C u r b o r n o c u r b , c u r b m a t e r i a l ) ◦ Su r f a c e T y p e ( A s p h a l t , u n p a v e d , b r i c k ) ◦ Gu a r d r a i l  Le n g t h , t y p e ( m a t e r i a l ) , c o n d i t i o n ◦ Cu l v e r t  Ty p e ( m a t e r i a l ) , c o n d i t i o n  Ve r i f y s e g m e n t d a t a a n d r e f e r e n c e c u r r e n t in f o r m a t i o n  As s i g n a n u m e r i c a l v a l u e t o e a c h d i s t r e s s ba s e d o n s e v e r i t y an d e x t e n t  St o r e s s e g m e n t i n f o r m a t i o n , i n c l u d i n g t r a f f i c an d i m p o r t a n c e  In p u t c o n d i t i o n i n f o r m a t i o n i n t o C A M P - R S  CA M P - R S g i v e s P a v e m e n t C o n d i t i o n I n d e x f o r ea c h s e g m e n t b a s e d o n d i s t r e s s e s  Pr o g r a m s u g g e s t s r e p a i r c a t e g o r y b a s e d o n di s t r e s s e s  Us e r c h o o s e s s p e c i f i c r e p a i r f r o m s u g g e s t e d ca t e g o r y . C o s t s a n d l i f e m o n t h s g a i n e d a r e gi v e n f o r e a c h r e p a i r  So f t w a r e a s s i g n s e a c h s e g m e n t a p r i o r i t y v a l u e – nu m b e r t h a t t a k e s i n t o a c c o u n t d i s t r e s s e s , r e p a i r ty p e , P C I , t r a f f i c , a n d i m p o r t a n c e  In p u t a n n u a l b u d g e t a n d o b s e r v e y e a r l y p l a n fo r r e p a i r s  Wh a t p e r c e n t a g e o f r o a d s a r e i n e a c h co n d i t i o n ( i n t e r m s o f P C I r a n g e s ) ?  Wh i c h r o a d s d o e s t h e p r o g r a m g i v e h i g h e s t pr i o r i t y t o ?  Ar e s c h e d u l e d r e p a i r s w h a t ’ s b e s t f o r t h e ro a d s ? S h o u l d w e c o n s i d e r r e p a i r a l t e r n a t i v e s ? By :    My k o l a W .   Ky r y c h u k De p a r t m e n t  of   Pu b l i c   Wo r k s  To  fi n d  th e  to t a l  nu m b e r  of  th e  re t a i n i n g   wa l l s  To  de t e r m i n e  th e i r  lo c a t i o n  an d  pa r a m e t e r s  To  de t e r m i n e  cu r r e n t  co n d i t i o n  us i n g   va r i a t i o n  of  a pr o c e d u r e  de v e l o p e d  by   NY S D O T  Re s u l t s  of  th e  in v e n t o r y  an d  co n d i t i o n   as s e s s m e n t  us e d  as  a co m p a r i s o n  to o l  An y  st r u c t u r e  th a t  su p p o r t s  th e   hi g h w a y  an d  it s  un d e r l y i n g  so i l s  or   pr e v e n t s  fi l l  fr o m  fa l l i n g  in t o  th e   tr a v e l l e d  wa y  of  ve h i c l e s  or  pe d e s t r i a n s .    Pr o v i d e s  st a b i l i t y  an d  re s i s t a n c e  to  the  la t e r a l  mo v e m e n t  of  ea r t h e n  ma t e r i a l . Pu b l i c  wa l l :  su p p o r t s  ro a d w a y ,  si d e w a l k ,  la n d  al o n g  la r g e  creek,   cu l v e r t s  an d  ut i l i t i e s   Re s o u r c e s  us e d  to  ve r i f y  ju r i s d i c t i o n :  su r v e y  an d  ta x  ma p s  (i f  su r v e y  ma p  is  no t   av a i l a b l e )  Ca n t i l e v e r  Co n c r e t e  Pa n e l  Co n c r e t e  Cr i b  Ga b i o n  Ba s k e t  Ge o s y n t h e t i c Re i n f o r c e d  Ea r t h  Gr a v i t y  La i d  St o n e  Pr e c a s t  Bl o c k  Re i n f o r c e d  Ea r t h  St e e l  Bi n  St e e l  Sh e e t i n g  Ti m b e r  Sh e e t i n g  So l d i e r  Pi l e s  with  Pr e c a s t  Pa n e l s Hi g h w a y Sl o p e St r e a m  Ba n k Br i d g e  Wa l l  Me a s u r e  le n g t h  of  th e  wa l l ,  Ma x  an d  Mi n  he i g h t  (New  wa l l  sy s t e m  if  ty p e  ch a n g e s ,  he i g h t  ch a n g e s  by  4 feet or  mo r e ,  or  le n g t h  ex c e e d s  60 0  fe e t )  Ca l c u l a t e  ar e a  of  th e  ex p o s e d  fa c e  of  th e  wa l l  As s i g n  th e  nu m e r i c a l  ra t i n g  fo r  th e  di f f e r e n t  se c t i o n s   of  th e  wa l l  (B a s e  – b o t t o m  2 fe e t ,  To p  –t o p  2 fe e t ,   Mi d d l e  – r e m a i n i n g  wa l l  he i g h t )  Wa l l s  wi t h  he i g h t  of  le s s  th e n  6 fe e t  re c e i v e  sa m e   ra t i n g  fo r  al l  se c t i o n s  (t h e  lo w e s t  va l u e ) To p  –a p p r o x .  2 ft Ba s e  –a p p r o x .  2 ft RA T I N G  = 5%  (TOP)+ 25 %  (BASE)+ 70 %  (MIDDLE) 1 –T o t a l l y  de t e r i o r a t e d  or  in  fa i l e d  co n d i t i o n 3 –S e r i o u s  de t e r i o r a t i o n ,  or  no t  fu n c t i o n i n g  as  or i g i n a l l y  de s i g n e d   5 –M i n o r  de t e r i o r a t i o n ,  bu t  fu n c t i o n i n g  as  or i g i n a l l y  de s i g n e d 7 –N e w  co n d i t i o n .  No  de t e r i o r a t i o n Bu l g i n g / M o v e m e n t Sp a l l i n g Cr a c k i n g Sc o u r Co r r o s i o n  1 – D e b r i s  on  sh o u l d e r  2 ‐ Lo s s  of  ro a d w a y  sh o u l d e r  3 – D e b r i s  in  la n e  4 –L o s s  of  on e  or  mo r e  la n e  of  ro a d w a y  5 –N o n e  6 –L o s s  of  ot h e r  bu i l d  st r u c t u r e ,  in c l u d i n g   ut i l i t i e s  Th e r e  ar e  to t a l  of  25 5  wa l l  se g m e n t s  To t a l  Ar e a  of  Ex p o s e d  Fa c e  (S . F . )      21 4 , 1 7 4  s.  f. 91 12 3 41 Sm a l l e r  th a n  6 fe e t  (<6ft) Be t w e e n  6 an d  12  fe e t Hi g h e r  th a n  12  fe e t  (>12 ft) Ro a d ,  63 Sl o p e ,  52 St r e a m   Ba n k ,  86 Br i d g e   Wa l l ,  31 Pu b l i c   La n d ,  16 Pr i v a t e   La n d ,  6 29 18 5 41 Ra t i n g  3 an d  be l l o w Ra t i n g  be t w e e n  3 and 5 Ra t i n g  hi g h e r  th a n  5 Ca s c a d i l l a  Cr e e k   be t w e e n  N Ti o g a  St  an d  N Au r o r a  St Ca s c a d i l l a  cr e e k ,  be t w e e n  N Ca y u g a  St  an d  N Ti o g a  St Al o n g  E St a t e  St ,  ab o v e  Ga t e w a y  Ap a r t m e n t s  pa r k i n g  lot Os m u n P L ,  ne x t  to  th e  Ch a p t e r  Ho u s e   Un d e r  si d e w a l k  on  S Ca y u g a  St   Te r r a c e  PL Ed g e  of  Ce m e t e r y  al o n g  St e w a r t  Av e   St o n e  Qu a r r y  Rd