CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Table the decision on whether to financially participate in funding a replacement fence along the north side of 95th Street to the May 1, 2018 City Council meeting
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: William J. Novack, Director of TED/City Engineer
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
Resident Doreen Swindall presented the City Council with a proposal for a ten-foot-high wooden fence for the six residents on the north side of 95th Street from west of the Springbrook Tributary No. 2 Creek to Gateshead Drive. The cost of the proposal she obtained was $52,260. There are three basic options the City Council can consider:
Option 1: No City Participation
The City installed an eight-foot-high fence when the road was widened from two to four lanes. The benefitting residents have always had to maintain/replace the fences the City put in. Replacing the existing fence with a taller fence will not necessarily provide screening to the second floor of those homes.
Option 2: Three Way Cost Split Between the City, Will County and the Residents
Will County has been a good partner on this project, and has even been involved in the meetings with the residents requesting the noise wall and fence at this location. This option would be an even split between the three parties. Following City Council discussion, staff reached out to Will County. The County responded that their participation would have to be approved by the Public Works Committee. Even though it has not gone to their committee, staff still wanted to include this option so all options would be available.
Option 3: Full City Participation
This is the option that was presented by Mrs. Swindall at a previous City Council meeting. Staff does not favor or recommend this option. It will replace a 22-year-old fence with a new fence at no cost to these residents while the others in the City must pay for their replacement fences. With similar issues (i.e. stormwater improvements benefitting limited property owners), some financial participation on behalf of the resident has been an indicator of the importance or impact of the issue. Also, in this particular instance, the project is essentially a fence replacement with a new fence only being one foot higher.
DISCUSSION:
Councilwoman Brodhead has been talking with members of the Will County Board about this project and its impacts on the residents. Councilwoman Brodhead has requested that this item be tabled to allow her time to obtain a firm commitment from Will County to be a financial participant on this issue. The request is to table this item until the May 1, 2018 City Council meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Depending upon which option is selected the fiscal impact to the City ranges from zero to $52,260.