Loading...
4. Right-of-Way WidthsCite of KalispellPublic Works Department Post. Office Box 1.997, Kalispell. Montana 59903-1997 - Telephone (406)758-7720. F&x (406)758-7831 REPORT TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: James C. Hansz, P.E., Director of Public Works SUBJECT: Proposed Change in ROW Standards MEETING DATE: December 13, 2004 Councilman Hafferman has suggested that current ROW standards should be changed. The recommendation is to allow use of a 40 foot road ROW in place of the standard 60 foot ROW in our current standards. This would essentially recreate and potentially expand use of the narrower ROW standard familiar to Councilman Hafferman that was in place back in the eighties. This obsolete standard was occasionally utilized, such as when Juniper Bend was originally developed to be a narrow private street with little ROW encroachment into developable adjacent property. A narrower ROW provides for a much more limited space in which to place City and other utilities, which are now required to be underground. The narrow ROW was limited to local non -through streets only. A sketch is attached that illustrates the impact of the proposed change in comparison to current standard. Also attached is a summary of ROW history in Kalispell prepared by Fred Zavodny. Please note that the standard local street ROW requirement for the original subdivision of Kalispell was and is 66 feet. Local utility companies have also been in contact with the City to request our consideration for altering the current road ROW standard. However, their desire is to gain more space to install their facilities in a manner so as to not interfere with other public improvements. They have expressed concerns that installing their equipment under City improvements, i.e. sidewalks, boulevard street trees, or pavement, is initially more costly and later more expensive to maintain. As a result of their input, we shall suggest modifications to the current ROW cross-section that would allow more room for other utilities, not less. In view of the strong concerns expressed by local utility companies, with which we concur, staff does not recommend changing current ROW standards to reduce width. I)eeetnber 13, 2004 ROW Change PropoW.doc Z z o ry LLJ w w z td z w 0' z (n w a�, w 2�° 1 2% 2% 1 2% a o°o°o°o°o°o°o°o°o°o°aao°o°°°a°a°o°o°o°ooa°°°eon0000°o°°°°°°°a°°°°°a o [� tat aaobooa000 ba000aooaoo SIDEWALK SIDEWALK LANDSCAPING LANDSCAPING MINIMUM PAVED LANE WIDTH IS 12'. MINIMUM WIDTH OF CURB AND GUTTER IS 2' MINIMUM WIDTH OF BOULEVARD IS 5' AS REQUESTED BY PARKS FOR TREE PLANTING. IN ADDITION, THE BOULEVARD IS USED FOR SNOW STORAGE. MINIMUM WIDTH OF SIDEWALK IS 5' AND IS REQUIRED FOR BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET. WITH THE ABOVE REQUIREMENTS THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM RIGHT-OF-WAY WIDTH IS 48'. THE DRY UTILITIES WOULD BE FORGET? TO BE PLACED IN THE BOULEVARDS WHICH WOULD INTERFERE WITH STREET TREES. THE PEDESTAL BOXES AND ELECTRICAL TRANSFORMER ENCLOSURES WOULD ALSO BE PLACED WITHIN THE BOULEVARD CREATING A TRAFFIC HAZARD. IF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IS DECREASED TO 40' THE BOULEVARD WIDTH WOULD BE 1' WITH NO SNOW STORAGE AND NO STREET TREES. IN ADDITION, SIGNS WOULD HAVE TO BE PLACED WITHIN THE SIDEWALK TO MEET THE MINIMUM SETBACK REQUIREMENTS OFF THE BACK OF CURB. UTILITY NOTE: ALL NEW UTILITIES SHALL BE PLACED UNDERGROUND. EXCEPT FOR SEWER AND WATER, UNDERGROUND UTILITIES, IF PLACED IN THE STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY OR EASEMENT, SHALL BE LOCATED BETWEEN THE BACK OF THE SIDEWALK AND THE EASEMENT LINE. NO UNDERGROUND UTILITIES SHALL BE PLACED IN THE BOULEVARD BETWEEN THE BACK OF CURB AND SIDEWALK. MINIMUM RIGHT-OF-WAY LOCAL STREET MEMORANDUM December 8, 2004 To. Frank Castles, Assistant it*Engineer From: Fred Zavodny, PiroRe: Historical Residential Rig Widths Residential Street Right of Ways were established at 66 feet with the original platting of Kalispell in 1891. This standard prevailed until the 1950s when the Northridge area was developed with 50 and 60 foot right of ways. The first City Standards that were adopted in 1977 established the minimum residential right of way at 60 feet. In 1982 the City Standards were revised to include a 40 foot right of way for local non -through streets. The only example of this that I am aware of is Sunburst, Lambert, Jubilee and Bing Courts all of which terminate in a cul- de-sac and are located in Gateway Orchard Villas off of Glenwood Drive. The 1996 revision of the City Standards once again established the minimum residential roadway width at 60 feet due to the ever increasing demand for expanded utility corridors, snow storage, pedestrian and landscaping considerations.