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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPWC Minutes 2020-12-15TOWN OF ITHACA PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE December 15th, 2020 9:00 a.m. ZOOM Meeting Board and Staff Present: TeeAnn Hunter, Rod Howe, Rich DePaolo, Mike Smith, Joe Slater, Dan Thaete, Donna Shaw, Mike Solvig, Paulette Rosa; Judy Drake, Joe Talbut; Dave O'Shea; Steve Riddle; Rich Ten Kate, John Little, Nick Goldsmith; Bill Goodman Guests: Forest Home Residents: Caroline & William Arms, Bruce Brittain, Doug Brittain, Janet Wagner, Robin -Blakely -Armitage, Randolph Little, Teresa Craighead, William & Janet Sonnenstuhl, Richard John Barton & Loguidice: Keith Ewald, Ashlyn Mauer, Tom Baird East Shore Drive: Virginia Augusta, Matthew Clark 1. Approval of Minutes: Minutes from November 17th, 2020 approved with a motion from Mr. Howe, seconded by Mr. DePaolo. Carried. 2. Member Comments / Concerns: No comments / concerns. a. Item #5, 930 East Shore Drive Installation & Rill Over Town Sewer Easement was moved to Item #1 on the agenda. 3. 930 East Shore Drive Installation & Rill Over Town Sewer Easement — Dan Thaete Mr. Thaete asked for Committee input regarding the placement of fill to be installed over the Town's sewer easement at this location, for a private driveway. An internal pre and post TV inspection was suggested, and be the responsibility of the owner, to ensure that no damage occurs during installation. Mr. Goodman asked about a proposed retaining wall interfering with access to the line. Mr. Thaete explained that the retaining wall that currently exists does not affect this location. Ms. Hunter asked about financial security and if language would be embedded in the easement. Mr. Goodman explained that the easement already exists and would not be revised. This would be a side agreement and a condition of the permit. Matthew Clark and Virginia Augusta stated that this is the first that they have heard about a bond and asked if this is unusual. Mr. Howe stated that it is not unusual and suggested talking about the topic offline. Mr. Thaete stated 5-6 feet of fill over our sewer is unprecedented and is of concern. The owners will be in touch with Mr. Thaete to follow up. Mr. Howe stated that the item could go to the Town Board for final approval. Mr. Goodman stated that it is dependent upon what the Town's counsel says regarding a Letter of Credit or proof of financial ability to pay for repairs, if needed. Mr. Thaete will keep the members posted on any updated information. 4. Forest Home Walkway: Project Review/Community Input Representatives from Barton & Loguidice were in attendance. The project is roughly at 50% of the design level. Mr. Keith Ewald shared and reviewed the Forest Home Walkway Plans with the group, highlighting the alignment, drainage, fencing, stairs, handrail, and trail surface. He explained that the purpose of this meeting, and another meeting on 12/21 with adjacent property owners, is to settle on details that have not been fully determined. Mr. Thaete added that stairs were added as a safety factor in steep areas, but the overall number of stairs was limited to enable effective maintenance purposes. Mr. DePaolo asked if there were any historical safety issues relative to trail use and stressed the concern of stairs hindering snow maintenance. See chat comments from the residents: 09:30:22 From Robin Blakely -Armitage: yes, many safety issues! 09:31:01 From Teresa Craighead : Very difficult to navigate in winter without stairs! 09:32:51 From Teresa Craighead : The section we are talking about faces south. It thaws during the day and freezes at night and is always slippery during the winter. Stairs and handrail are necessary. 09:33:25 From Robin Blakely -Armitage : many falls at top and lower slopes, perhaps no ambulance calls but serious enough. Stairs would definitely make a huge difference at the top as well for many commuters and recreational users. Many elderly FH neighbors as well as us middle aged folks need stairs. it is just too steep as is. Mr. Thaete reported that many ramps on the Cornell Campus, for example, are closed during the winter due to unsafe conditions. Mr. DePaolo asked about conditions or an area for bicycle riders where stairs exist. Mr. Thaete introduced the idea of drainage space covered with vegetation near the stairs for riders. Chat comments from the residents: 09:35:12 From Teresa Craighead : I am a cyclist and I do not ride down the walkway. I "take the lane" on Warren Road and ride down that way. 09:35:16 From Bruce and/or Doug Brittain : Yes, bikes do ride down occasionally. 09:35:31 From Robin Blakely -Armitage : the occasional dare devil, but not frequent 09:36:28 From Bruce and/or Doug Brittain : The main issue is winter maintenance of stairs. 09:37:59 From Randolph Little : Could "Use at your own risk" be posted? Mr. Talbut reported that there were bicycle tracks when he was clearing snow recently. Mr. Howe stated that the goal is to find a balance between safety and maintenance. He would like input regarding the railing system. Ms. Hunter opened the meeting up to residential input. Live comments from residents: Teresa Craighead expressed her appreciation for the attention given to the Walkway. She emphasized that the steps shown are crucial to the plan. She uses the Walkway constantly and finds navigation of the steep section between Pleasant Grove and the level area to be scary due to erosion, especially going downhill. Handrails are needed and likes the black, metal handrail near Beebe Lake. When snow builds up on the Walkway, it lifts pedestrians up and increases the reach distance between the walker and the handrail. She would like a few more steps added in the section leading to Pleasant Grove. A 5'wide pathway at the lower part of the Walkway would be optimal to allow an alternate path in winter conditions. Bill Arms stated that steps on the lower end is a good addition. Walking around Cornell, he sees sturdy handrails or chains. A continuous rail is very important. Bruce Brittain prefers stairs over ramps but, understands that ramps are necessary for maintenance purposes. The stairs need to side -slope toward the drain. He thinks a single -rail system would work. He does not prefer chains. He feels no gate is necessary. A gap will suffice. The underdrain on the level spot on the downhill side of the path should be on the uphill side. He suggested a connection to the existing facility at the top. It would be nice to have a crosswalk to the other side of Warren Road and a connection northward to the existing shoulder. Also, a bench on the level spot at the equipment turnaround area. Doug Brittain also does not prefer chains. The rail needs to be able to be gripped for stabilization. Cleanup of the old path would be nice. Ms. Hunter asked for clarifying comments to the input. Thomas Baird gave an overview of the surface course being considered. He described the recommended surface course and showed examples of a product that contains 10-12% of clay and a certain gradation that holds together better than stone dust or crusher run. It offers good foot grip for pedestrians and could be dressed to look nicer. Water would drain through as opposed to run across, which causes erosion. This product has not been used on a steep slope to date. Mr. DePaolo asked how this product would affect snow removal efforts and asked about its compaction. Mr. Talbut replied that he doesn't see many issues in regard to snow removal. Mr. Baird explained that the product re -orientates and locks together vs. packs down. A vibratory roller, dirt roller on a heavy vibrate setting, or large plate compactor could be used during installation. Forward blade plowing could cause an issue, but back-blading works well. He explained that over time and with heavy rain, there would be some migration of the fines, but larger stone would be very hard to move. It is important that the contractor and quarry mix it accurately for proper gradation. Ms. Hunter asked for a cost differential for this product vs stone dust. She asked how long a stone dust surface would last. Mr. Baird replied that the first heavy rainstorm would erode stone dust. Mr. Talbut said that the Walkway was resurfaced at the top portion last summer due to a heavy washout. Chat comments from residents: 09:45:27 From Robin Blakely -Armitage: I don't have a good microphone, but my comment focuses on the need to have this trail open ALL YEAR, as it is the commuting path for many. The only other option is to walk down Warren Road which is even worse. This isn't just a recreational path, it is a community connector. 09:49:18 From Teresa Craighead : The lower slope faces south and freezes and thaws a lot, creating icy conditions. In addition to steep conditions, this is one of the things that makes it so hard to navigate. 09:54:56 From Robin Blakely -Armitage : With slippery conditions, the upper slope is steep enough that it requires a person to cling to the handrail, either pulling themselves up the hill as it is hard to get traction on ice, or bracing themselves down the hill to avoid slipping. Any break in the continuity of the rail would need to be as short as possible. 10:02:46 From Teresa Craighead : The surface under discussion sounds promising from a pedestrian point of view, especially that it assists with grip and resists refreezing. 10:05:32 From Robin Blakely -Armitage : Every solid rain that occurs creates rivets in the stone dust that is currently there. Mr. Thaete explained that the input would be incorporated into final determinations along with any additional input going forward. The plans will be modified and presented to the Town Board, which is open to the public. 5. LED Streetlights Design Discussion — Nick Goldsmith Mr. Goldsmith, Sustainability Planner, has been working on the streetlight replacement project for a couple of years and provided additional information. Speaking with the Planning Dept., they see no issues with the proposed design. Dark sky requirements are in place. The project is a one -for -one replacement project to LED technology. Existing lights do not meet National lighting standards. In some cases, there may be lighting holes as no new lights will be added. Mr. Little from Information Technology expressed a concern if the town does not upgrade to 5G technology. He explained that in roughly ten years the smart controllers, WIFI, or video may not work with the current 4G technology, as it may not be supported. Mr. Howe did not feel that is a big consideration now. Ms. Hunter said that a decision has not been made regarding the smart controllers. Mr. Goldsmith explained that smart controllers would cost $20,000. They allow for the schedule to be set remotely and for light dimming. If a light goes out, the maintenance contractor would be notified. Energy use can be captured for data analysis. Later, additional features can be added relative to public safety, environmental, transportation, and connectivity. Mr. Goldsmith recommends approving the smart control technology because it keeps our options open. There is a 15-year life on the smart controllers. Mr. Howe is fine with approving use of the smart controls. Mr. DePaolo questioned if the level of dimmed lights is going to meet requirements for safety. Mr. Goldsmith replied that lights will degrade slightly over time. Output is about 70% after 15 years. One strategy is to start out dimming the lights and gradually increase the level over time to level off the output. Mr. Goodman asked about other municipalities using the smart controls. Mr. Goldsmith explained that one municipality opted for them, another did not, and others are still undecided. Ms. Hunter asked about color temperature options and said that there are concerns about yellow or orange lights, as they are undesirable. Mr. Goldsmith said that the proposed lights are at the color temperature of 3000k, with the exception of one light near Cornell. He would not recommend 4000k. Discussion was held regarding temperature vs lumens, yellow light vs white light. The Committee agreed with Mr. Goldsmith's recommendation of 300k color temperature. Mr. Slater expressed his concerns regarding maintenance responsibility and the complexity of moving poles. Mr. Goldsmith explained that the town would be working with NYSEG to purchase the existing streetlights. If the town was interested in moving poles, there is the opportunity to change mounting locations. Further discussion would be needed to change the design and/or coordinate moving streetlights. He recommended getting at least one quote in addition to NYPA. He spoke with the City regarding a maintenance contract with the town, but they are not willing to commit at this time. A maintenance contract would be needed by the time the upgrades are complete. He stated that the town is not agreeing to have NYPA do maintenance in the contract. Mr. Slater commented that the NYPA contract requires going with smart controls. Mr. Howe reminded the group that we can move forward on the design portion and not decide about maintenance at this time. Chat comments from a resident: 11:03:31 From Randolph Little :Smart controllers, like cellphones and computers, have a very short uselife due to [planned] obsolence. Live comments from residents: William Sonnestuhl stated that on campus, he saw 3000k and 4000k lights and didn't notice much difference in color. They were not orange. Would the light in front of our house, which is orange, be replaced with a light like what is on campus? What safety is it providing? Is it a requirement? Janet Sonnestuhl expressed that she is not happy with the orange streetlight in front of their house between 204 and 206 Winston Dr. Why is the streetlight there? She prefers lighting that is natural. She would like a light that can be dimmed. Mr. Goldsmith stated that he thinks the new system will be a white light. Mr. Sonnestuhl indicated that he thought the light was put there to illuminate Deerfield Place, but there is already one for that purpose. Caroline Arms wanted it reflected in the minutes that there is an issue relating to the bottom of the Walkway and the street light project. The crosswalk that the Walkway feeds onto is very poorly lit. The light at the intersection is at the corner of the park and not on the pole near the crosswalk. The light that used to be on the pole near the crosswalk was moved because it shone into her house. She is hoping that better lighting with adequate shielding will be provided for pedestrians at this location. She is in favor of white light but, has concern of it shining into her home. Mr. Goldsmith said that the height of lights will not change. Doug Brittain addressed smart control and dimming. He sees it as a disadvantage and a downgrade to be able to schedule "on and off", which requires a computer program or constant adjustment. Photocells come on automatically based on conditions. He is advocating photocell technology. How are lights going to dim? Will there be a capacitor or a transformer? Is there a choice? Do we know what we will be getting? How does it work? What is used to dim the light? Mr. DePaolo commented that he dims lights frequently and they are not problematic unless they are dimmed substantially. Mr. Thaete said he would ensure that the lights are truly dimmable without flickering. Bruce Brittain thinks the one -for -one replacement is short-sighted. Look at the big picture. Time should be taken in thinking about where they should be placed. Smart controls electronics will be obsolete in ten years. It makes more sense to have solar cells with LED lights. Ms. Hunter and Mr. Goldsmith reported that there is a $5,000 cost benefit if the contract is executed in a timely manner. Mr. Howe reminded the group that if the PWC agrees with the recommendations that Mr. Goldsmith has put forward that it authorizes the Town Supervisor to move forward. The Town Attorney would also be involved. Mr. Goldsmith stated that NYPA has not provided the contract for review to date. Mr. Howe is fine with accepting the recommendations. Mr. DePaolo asked if there are potential savings associated with smart controls if they become obsolete in ten years. He asked who is responsible for maintaining the liability of the system. Mr. DePaolo would opt in if they have photocells, but without photocells, he sees an issue. Mr. Goldsmith will reach out to NYPA to verify if smart controls have photocells or not. Mr. DePaolo recommended making a contingent approval based on smart controls having photocells. He feels there is no need for video monitoring. Mr. DePaolo motioned to recommend the contingent approval of the smart controls based on photocell and smart function availability. Ms. Hunter agreed. A special meeting will be scheduled, if needed, to discuss the issue if smart controls do not have photocells. Dave O'Shea added that a photocell can be wired in and that this was done on Route 96B. Mr. Thaete stated that a master photocell could be placed at the meter which controls all the lights. Mr. Goodman asked Mr. Goldsmith about grant funding. He replied that the town was approved for a $20,000 Smart City grant which is for add-ons, research, and implementation only. It would offset future costs, but not current costs. Ms. Hunter reminded the group to keep the resident's concerns regarding streetlight placement in mind. The meeting was adjourned at 11:13 a.m., moved by Mr. DePaolo and seconded by Mr. Howe. Carried. Our next meeting is scheduled for 1/19/21. JES