As the weather gets warmer, the city turns its attention to street work and improvements.

Wednesday, April 18, 2001

As the weather gets warmer, the city turns its attention to street work and improvements.

On Monday, Austin officials were busy in committee meetings and a City Council meeting. The end of the evening brought approval of several improvement projects throughout the city.

Several residents turned out for the council meeting to question assessment charges on street improvement projects the city approved Monday. The projects are:

16th Street SE, between Oakland Avenue East and Fourth Avenue SE; 18th Street SE, from Third Avenue SE to Fourth Avenue SE; and Third Avenue SE, from 16th Street SE to 20th Street SE. Estimated easements on these projects will be $31 to $33 per linear foot with curb and gutter or $37 to $39 per linear foot with no curb and gutter.

Public Works Director Jon Erichson said the 16th Street SE project probably will be slated for mid-June to mid-August to accommodate the heavy use by students at Ellis Middle School through May. Erichson also said improvements are being made on street surfaces 40 plus years old, when a typical life expectancy of a street surface is 35 years.

In response to a resident’s question, Erichson said the city will aid residents in getting their garbage to the street for pickup during the time the improvements are going on, if they are unable to move it themselves.

First Street NE, from Oakland Avenue to First Avenue, and First Avenue NE, from First Street NE to Fourth Street NE

Assessments along this stretch of street will be commercial in nature and will range from $46 to $48 per linear foot. Because these improvements will affect the Austin Fire Department station, Erichson said Fire Chief Dan Wilson said three to four fire units will be parked in a location where employees currently park. A couple of units not regularly used will be relocated to an off-site location.

Streets along Austin Acres, between 16th and 18th Avenues SW and between 18th and 22nd Streets SW

Street assessments will range from $24 to $26 per linear foot. Sanitary and water service extensions will be assessed at $1,500 per lot. Parcels not already part of the city of Austin will be orderly annexed into the city from Austin Township. The city then will be responsible for upkeep in the area, according to Erichson.

Downtown sidewalks on Main Street, from Second Avenue to Fourth Avenue and Third Avenue, from Main Street to First Street NW.

These assessments will be commercial and will range from $28 to $30 per linear foot. An exposed aggregate sidewalk will replace the existing brick paver, making the sidewalk less slippery.

Downtown sidewalks on Main Street North, from Eighth Place to a distance of about 435 feet north

Assessments will be commercial in nature and will range from $22 to $24 per linear foot.

The Mower County Board of Commissioners opposed the project between the new Hormel Corporate Offices South/SPAM Museum and Security Bank of Minnesota, citing the following four reasons:

The county resurfaced the parking lot in that area during the summer of 2000.

The work would reduce the number of available parking spaces.

The improvements will bring an additional cost to the county.

The opposite side of the street does not include a sidewalk.

"The problem we have with the whole project is mainly a maintenance issue," County Commissioner Len Miller, who was present at the meeting, said: "If you want continuity, you have to look at the whole thing."

The council approved the action, despite the opposition of the county.

None of the sanitary sewer improvements will be charged in the assessments. All the sanitary sewer improvements will be paid for with the sewer user fund. As part of the improvement projects, the city will televise lines and fix deficient pipes. Any improvements made from a resident’s house to the main line will be the financial responsibility of the resident.

For each project, corner lots will be assessed as the average of the two sides. So, if one side of a resident’s house equals 100 feet of street and the other equals 50 feet, the two will be added (150) and divided by two, bringing the total assessment to 75 linear feet. The long side of the residence will be assessed at 75 feet and the short side will be assessed at 50 feet presently and for 25 feet in the future, according to Erichson.

Four options are available for property owners facing an assessment:

Pay within 30 days.

Do nothing and the amount will be added to your property taxes with interest of about 7 percent to 7.5 percent this year.

Pay a minimum of 50 percent and the rest will be added to your property taxes with interest of 7 percent to 7.5 percent this year.

Request participation in the deferral program, however, the interest will accumulate.

Other approvals included the following:

The council’s finance and personnel committee approved a request for $3,397 in funding from the Austin Area Skaters Association. The amount equals the remainder the association needs to complete the first and second phase of permanent ramp construction and the purchase of bleachers for the park.

Councilman-at-Large Dick Chaffee said supporting this park means the council is in keeping with the council’s desire "to keep children off Main Street."

"We must impress upon them to take care of it," Councilwoman Gloria Nordin said. "They must be proud of this skate park."

"I think they’ll take a lot of pride in this skate park," Denny Maschka, director of park, recreation and forestry, said.

The council approved nearly $40,000 for final exterior restoration and upgrading of the Wold Drug Store building on Main Street North. Improvements will include the removal of steel siding currently on the building and the replacement of windows on the second floor. The building will be owned by Steve Swain of Lebanon, Mo., who plans to open a new or used computer and appliance store in the building.

Call Kevira Mertha at 434-2233 or e-mail her at newsroom@austindailyherald.com.