Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BPW-2007-02-21BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS PROCEEDINGS CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 4:45 p.m. February 21, 2007 PRESENT: Mayor Peterson Commissioners (5) - Jenkins, Dotson, Chapman, Schlather, Wykstra OTHERS PRESENT: Superintendent of Public Works - Gray Assistant Superintendent of Streets and Facilities - Ferrel Assistant Superintendent of Water and Sewer – Whitney Common Council Liaison – Coles DAC Liaison – Roberts Executive Assistant – Grunder EXCUSED: Commissioner Tripp PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: Mayor Peterson led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. ADDITIONS TO OR DELETIONS FROM THE AGENDA: Supt. Gray explained that the February 14, 2007 meeting was canceled due to a snowstorm. As a result, there are two resolutions to be considered at today’s meeting from that agenda. MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS: Mayor Peterson stated that she requested Assist. Supt. Ferrel distribute pictures of last week’s snowstorm to Board members and to provide a chronological listing of the events that took place starting February 13 through February 20, 2007 regarding the Department of Public Works response to the storm. BUILDINGS, PROPERTIES, REFUSE, AND TRANSIT: Request for Encroachment Agreement at 1016 West Seneca Street - Resolution By Commissioner Dotson: Seconded by Commissioner Schlather WHEREAS, Attorney Amy Emerson, representing the owners of 1016 West Seneca Street, has requested an encroachment agreement for a fence which extends approximately three (3) feet into City property, as shown on the survey prepared by Michael J. Reagan, PLS, dated January 12, 2007, and WHEREAS, it appears that the fence in question has been in existence in its current location for an extended period, and WHEREAS, staff has reviewed the request and does not anticipate any conflicts due to the existing encroachment in the near future, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works hereby authorizes the Mayor to sign an encroachment agreement containing the usual terms and conditions, plus a requirement that the private property owner be solely responsible for maintaining and repairing the fence as deemed necessary by the City and at the private property owner’s cost, but that the encroachment shall cease should the fence be rebuilt or replaced, and be it further RESOLVED, That the encroachment agreement shall not be subject to a fee at this time, but that the agreement shall specify that at any time in the future it may become subject to new license/use fees or other requirements established by the Board as the result of its review of encroachments and license agreements, which review is anticipated to be conducted in 2007. Carried Unanimously Board of Public Works – February 21, 2007- Page 2 HIGHWAYS, STREETS, AND SIDEWALKS: Waste Hauler Trucks - Resolution By Commissioner Schlather: Seconded by Commissioner Wykstra WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca and its neighboring communities are crossed daily by a large number of long haul trucks using State routes and Federal aide highways, with an unusual concentration of trucks hauling municipal solid waste, and WHEREAS, the City understands its benefits from and obligations to the State highway system, a system which is necessary for the support of local commerce, industry, institutions, State-wide tourism, and the local economy’s participation in interstate commerce, and WHEREAS, the City’s experience with long-haul trucks over the last decade has included fatal accidents, brakes lost on hills resulting in out-of-control trucks tipping over and spilling their contents (burying shrubbery in tons of sugar in one case and a car and driver in tons of garbage in a second case), tickets written for over weight vehicles, over-length vehicles, uninspected vehicles, vehicles with defective mufflers, lights, and brakes, vehicles impounded because they were unsafe to drive, drivers arrested because they were unsafe to drive, and similar disturbing experiences, and WHEREAS, the City pays a price in the form of rapidly deteriorating roads and bridges from overweight trucks, decreased safety from oversized or defective vehicles, deteriorating neighborhoods and housing, from excessive numbers of large, heavy, and noisy long-haul trucks, many of which appear to be taking shortcuts (or long cuts) to avoid the regulation inherent with the interstate highway system, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works supports the efforts of New York State’s Senator Charles E. Schumer to address these types of problems as outlined in his three-point plan summarized in an October 19, 2006, news release from his office, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works requests that Common Council adopt and forward a resolution of support for Senator Schumer’s plan. Amending Resolution: By Commissioner Schlather: Seconded Commissioner Wykstra RESOLVED, That the Fourth Whereas clause be amended to read as follows: WHEREAS, the City pays a price in the form of rapidly deteriorating roads and bridges from overweight trucks, decreased safety from oversized or defective vehicles, deteriorating neighborhoods and housing, from excessive numbers of large, heavy, and noisy long-haul trucks, often passing directly through the heavily-used waterfront and Cass Park on the “scenic byway” designated Route 89 many of which appear to be taking shortcuts (or long cuts) to avoid the regulation inherent with the interstate highway system, now therefore be it” Carried Unanimously Main Motion As Amended: A Vote on the Main Motion As Amended resulted as follows: Carried Unanimously Award Bid for One New and Unused Truck Mounted Catch Basin Cleaner and High Pressure Sewer Cleaner By Commissioner Schlather: Seconded by Commissioner Jenkins WHEREAS, bids were received on Feb. 1, 2007 for one Truck Mounted Catch Basin Cleaner and High Pressure Sewer Cleaner, and WHEREAS, staff has reviewed the bids and recommends that the Board of Public Works rejects the low bid of $145,540.00 from Cyncon Equipment Inc. on the basis that the equipment proposed to be provided does not meet the compliance specifications in the bid, and Board of Public Works – February 21, 2007- Page 3 WHEREAS, critical bid compliance items checked on their bid form are contrary to the specifications listed in the manufacturer’s equipment specifications and in the accompanying sales literature, and WHEREAS, staff recommends that the Board of Public Works awards the bid to Tracey Road Equipment, which was $4,142.00 higher than the lowest, and WHEREAS, Tracey Road Equipment meets all of our minimum specifications, now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works hereby awards the bid of the new Truck Mounted Catch Basin Cleaner and High Pressure Sewer Cleaner to Tracey Road Equipment Inc., 6803 Manlius Center Road, P.O. Box 489, East Syracuse, NY 13057 for their total bid of $149,682.00, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Board authorizes the Assistant Superintendent of Public Works, W&S Division, to enter into a contract with Tracey Road Equipment for the Catch Basin and Sewer Cleaner. Carried Unanimously Request for Two Curb Cuts – 124 Roberts Place - Resolutions By Commissioner Schlather: Seconded by Commissioner Jenkins WHEREAS, Robert Mzarek, the property owner of 124 Roberts Place, has approached the Board of Public Works to consider his request for two curb cuts following the rejection of that request by DPW staff, and WHEREAS, Leslie Chatterton, as the City’s Historic Preservation Planner, appeared to explain the review and acceptance by the Landmarks Preservation Commission of the proposed project with reference to the preservation of the 100-year old landscape shared with the adjacent property, and WHEREAS, staff answered questions by the Board about the unusual street layout around 124 Roberts Place that discourages automobiles, speed, bicycles and pedestrians, and limits traffic counts to less than 100 vehicles per day, as well as eliminates curbside parking, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works approves the double curb cut request for 124 Roberts Place which results from the peculiar combination of historic designation of the property and the geometry of property and streets with their associated traffic factors with the belief that this can be done safely, and be it further RESOLVED, that the Board reserves the right to revoke one or both curb cuts should this prove to be unsafe for pedestrians, bicycles, or vehicles due to factors that are unforeseen at this time. Carried Unanimously Amendment to the Vehicle and Traffic Schedules in Regard to Parking on Buffalo Street to Create a Student Pick-Up/Drop-Off Zone for the Beverly J. Martin Elementary School By Commissioner Chapman: Seconded by Commissioner Wykstra WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works is authorized by Section 346-4 of the City Code to adopt and to amend a system of Schedules in order to administer the Vehicle and Traffic Law, and WHEREAS, the principal of the Beverly J. Martin Elementary School (BJM) has requested that a student pick-up and drop-off zone be created to serve the school, and provided some clarification on how the students will be delivered to the new zone, and WHEREAS, Fire Marshall for the Ithaca Fire Department has agreed to the following change provided it is properly enforced, and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works is in agreement with these amendments to the Schedules, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That Schedule XVI, No Stopping Certain Hours, be amended to add: Board of Public Works – February 21, 2007- Page 4 West Buffalo Street on the north side of the street from a point approximately 50 feet west of from Albany Street (in which 50 feet is a handicapped parking zone is provided) to a point approximately 20 feet west of the driveway along the westside of BJM for the entire day except from 7-9 AM and 2-4 PM on school days, and be it further RESOLVED, That Schedule XV, Parking Prohibited Certain Hours, be amended to change the location description for the north side of Buffalo Street to be: From Plain Street to a point approximately 20 feet west of the driveway along the west side of BJM, and be it further RESOLVED, that the pick-up and drop-off zone created in Schedule XVI include posted signs indicating that the area is a fire lane and that drivers must remain with their vehicles. Carried Unanimously Amendment to the Vehicle and Traffic Schedules I, II, and III - Resolution By Commissioner Dotson: Seconded by Commissioner Jenkins WHEREAS, the Board of public Works is authorized by Section 346-4 of the City Code to adopt and to amend a system of Schedules in order to administer the Vehicle and Traffic Law, and WHEREAS, the Schedules are in need of a complete review and update, and WHEREAS, the Office of the City Engineer is carrying out this review and update, and has recommended an initial set of updates, and WHEREAS, the Board of Public Works is in agreement with these amendments to the Schedules, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the following Schedules: Schedule I, Traffic Control Signals; Schedule II, Speed Limits; and Schedule III, School Speed Limits be amended in accordance with the attached schedule update, dated January 25, 2007. Carried Unanimously CREEKS, BRIDGES, AND PARKS: Establish the Board of Public Works as the Lead Agency for the Environmental Review of a Proposed Dock for Stewart Park - Resolution By Commissioner Jenkins: Seconded by Commissioner Chapman WHEREAS, the Youth Bureau has requested and Common Council has funded a permanent dock to be installed at the large pavilion in Stewart Park to support their waterfront programs, and WHEREAS, State and City environmental review laws require that an involved agency must be designated as lead agency for the environmental review of that action, and WHEREAS, the above-referenced options appears to be an unlisted action, for the purposes of environmental review, now therefore be it RESOLVED, That the Board of Public Works hereby declares its intention to act as lead agency for the environmental review of the proposed dock at Stewart Park, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Board direct the Superintendent, or his designee, to provide the required notice of the Board’s intention in the matter to all other involved agencies. Carried Unanimously ADJOURNMENT On a motion the meeting adjourned at 7:05 p.m. Sarah L. Myers Carolyn K. Peterson Information Management Specialist Mayor