Council Communication Office of the City Manager	Date	May 5, 2008
	Agenda Item No. 10A Roll Call No. 08- Communication No. 08-269 Submitted by: Jeb E. Brewer, P.E. City Engineer

AGENDA HEADING:

Communication from the City Manager recommending proposed sanitary sewer construction using special assessments.

SYNOPSIS:

Recommend the City Council proceed with proposed sanitary sewer improvements and set June 9, 2008, as the date for the hearing on the proposed Resolution of Necessity, as required by Iowa Code, before the City Council can proceed to utilize special assessments against benefited property owners as part of the method of financing as referenced below. The City Council has received a petition requesting that sanitary sewer be constructed to serve the south side of the 3200 Block of Lincoln Avenue as identified below. Recommend the City Council authorize the City Engineer to proceed with the actions necessary under the Iowa Code special assessment process and to notify appropriate property owners.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Amount: $167,500 total City Engineer's Preliminary Estimate for assessment purposes.

Funding Source: 2008-2009 CIP, Page Sanitary-5, City-wide Sanitary Sewers, SAE054, being $33,169.37 from Special Assessments against benefited property owners and $134,330.63 in Sanitary Sewer funds.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

On August 20, 2007, under Roll Call 07-1646, the City Council received, filed, and referred to the City Manager for review and recommendation a petition from two property owners requesting that sanitary sewer be constructed to serve their properties on the south side of Lincoln Avenue from the 3200 block to the 3300 block.

Engineering and Public Works Department staff have reviewed the petition and investigated the request for sanitary sewer. There are four lots on the south side of Lincoln Avenue in the 3200 Block that have septic tanks and are not connected to a sanitary sewer. Topography and the elevation of the existing sanitary sewers in 32^nd and 33^rd Streets make it impossible to serve these four properties with a typical sanitary sewer located in the Lincoln Avenue right-of-way; however, the properties could be served by the individual property owners constructing small grinder pumps and pumping their sewage. Engineering Department Staff have also investigated constructing a sanitary sewer from near 32^nd Street and Victoria Drive west through the back yards of these properties to provide sanitary sewer service. In November 2007, the property owners were notified that the Engineering Department would be conducting a preliminary survey to determine if it was feasible to construct a sanitary sewer in their back yards to connect to their sanitary sewer services between their houses and septic tanks. The survey results confirmed that construction of the proposed sanitary sewer in their back yards was feasible.

On April 17, 2008, the Engineering Department held an informational meeting at Monroe Elementary School to discuss the proposed construction of the assessed sanitary sewer project. Notice of this informational meeting was sent to the three property owners (3210, 3222, and 3300 Lincoln Avenue) that would be served by the proposed sewer (the fourth lot is vacant and owned by Polk County), as well as to Morningstar Mission Baptist Church, 3200 Lincoln Avenue, because the sewer will cross church property to get to the properties to be served. Engineering Staff explained that the property owners would be assessed for the cost of two manholes and the sanitary sewer proposed to be constructed in their back yards, while the City of Des Moines would pay the remainder of the project cost to construct the sewer from 32^nd and Victoria Drive across the Church property to their back yards. This cost would be similar to the cost to be assessed if the sanitary sewer could have been constructed in the street as typically done. Two of the four property owners to be assessed attended the meeting; and after staff explained the project and assessment process, both property owners were in favor of proceeding with the project and the next step, which is the public hearing on the Resolution of Necessity.

Upon Council approval of the Resolution of Necessity, the Engineering Department will proceed with preparation of plans and specifications for Council consideration to establish a bid date so that the proposed new sanitary sewer can be completed this construction season.

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION(S):

Date: August 20, 2007

Roll Call Number: 07-1646

Action: Petition in favor of proposed sanitary sewer on the south side of Lincoln Avenue from the 3200 block to the 3300 block. Moved by Vlassis to receive and file and refer to the City Manager for review and recommendation. Motion Carried 7-0.

BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S): NONE

ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS:

Council Hearing on the Resolution of Necessity on June 9, 2008 and if adopted the normal Council actions to authorize bids, receive and file bids, designate lowest bidder, and approve contract and bond; also partial payments to the contractor and final acceptance of work.

For more information on this and other agenda items, please call the City Clerk’s Office at 515-283-4209 or visit the Clerk’s Office on the second floor of City Hall, 400 Robert D. Ray Drive. Council agendas are available to the public at the City Clerk’s Office on Thursday afternoon preceding Monday’s Council meeting. Citizens can also request to receive meeting notices and agendas by email by calling the Clerk’s Office or sending their request via email to cityclerk@dmgov.org.