09-12-2012 Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

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II SING . ASS0CI11T4S Memo TO: Honorable Mayor & City Council Members FROM: Lee Elfering, City Engineer DATE: September 6, 2012 RE: Easement Conflict Update Background In preparation of the plans for the Interceptor Slip Lining project being undertaken by the City and Metropolitan Council a conflict was discovered within the existing easement area of the sanitary sewer line. This conflict was a backyard structure, retaining walls, and landscape features constructed within the existing easement area. To minimize the impact to the features it was proposed to obtain a new easement from the property owner for the realignment of this segment of sanitary sewer to minimize the conflicts. The current proposed alignment does minimize the impacts, but does still impact some landscaping features as described in one of our previous memos and in discussions with the City Council. The property owner has indicated that he would work with the City on the easement swap, but did request compensation for the removal and replacement of landscaping features within the newly proposed easement for the sum of $15,000.00. The City would then not have to salvage or reinstall any of the impacted landscape features. It has typically been the City's practice to work cooperatively with homeowners on projects that are adjacent to their homes regardless of if the project is within the street right -of -way or utility easement areas. On street reconstruction projects small modifications to the plans are made following neighborhood meetings to improve situations on private property without negative impacts to the overall project. However, in this case the property owner is asking to be compensated for landscaping features that would only be disturbed because we would be relocating a sanitary sewer outside of an existing easement to protect the private features within the existing easement. There would be some project cost related to removal and relocation of the landscape features however the cost is difficult to estimate. When this issue was previously discussed it was the direction of the City Council to obtain some pricing from independent contractors for the removal and replacement of the landscaping features within the new easement area. Follow -up Information Staff requested quotes from private Contractors for removal and replacement of the landscape features that would be impacted within the new easement area. The Contractors had to provide their quotes based on pictures of the improvements and our written description of the features because the property owner had already begun to dismantle the features himself. It is important to point out that at no time did anyone 10062 Flanders Court NE — Blaine, MN 55449 — Ph: (763) 780 -0450 Fax (763) 780 -0452 Memo-090612 -CC (Easement Conflict Update) TRUG IHONl