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Item No: 7D Meeting Date: February 24, 2014 Type of Business: Council Business1%40L_NDitSVVfE_W . Administrator Review: d` QiV of /Mounds View Staff Report NIMENNEEMENNIF— To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Nick DeBar, Public Works Director Item Title/Subject: Resolution 8219, Approving the Addition of a Sidewalk to the Non - Standard Street Design for Ardan Avenue in Area G of the Street and Utility Improvement Program Background: Ardan Avenue is a non-standard street in Area G and H of the Street and Utility Improvement Program. As part of the design phase for Area G, engineering staff recommended options for Ardan Avenue street design and solicited input from adjacent property owners in both Area G and H. Area H properties were included since the street configuration for Area G is likely to be replicated for the Area H project. Ardan Avenue is considered non-standard since it is a designated street on the Municipal State Aid System (MSAS) and is identified as a pedestrian/bicycle corridor in the City's Comprehensive Plan. Engineering staff reviewed design options with the Streets and Utilities Committee at their September 2013 meeting, which included parking on the south side only and options of an 11 -foot off-street bike trail or a combined 6.5 -foot sidewalk/5.5-foot bike lane in the north boulevard. These options were included in a notice sent to Ardan Avenue properties inviting them to a public information meeting held in October 2013 as part of the Committee regular meeting. Approximately 20 property owners attended the October 2013 information meeting. In general, support for a sidewalk/bike lane combination or shared -use trail was evenly split. This was also the case for the parking location on the north or south side. A good portion of the input and discussion centered around the impact that a pedestrian/bicycle accommodation would have on the narrower section of Ardan Avenue between Eastwood and Long Lake Road. The Committee reviewed the feedback and verbal input at their October meeting and recommended a parking lane on the south side only. No pedestrian/bicycle accommodations were recommended due to the potential impact on properties in the narrow section of Ardan between Eastwood and Long Lake Road. It was also rationalized that the parking lane will provide a shared -use purpose for parking, biking, and walking. Minutes from the October Committee meeting are attached to this report. The City Council approved a non-standard street design without specific pedestrian/bicycle accommodations and one parking "shared -use" lane on the south side for Ardan Avenue as recommended by Engineering staff and S/U Committee on October 28, 2013. Discussion: Engineering staff is recommending the addition of a 6 -foot concrete sidewalk in the north boulevard and immediately adjacent to curb for the non-standard street design previously approved for Ardan Avenue. This revised non-standard street design is being proposed due to further evaluation and follow-up with a number of Ardan Avenue property owners who thought that one of the pedestrian/bicycle accommodations (combined sidewalk/bike lane or trail) would be constructed. In addition, there was a number of property owners who were against a sidewalk until they found out that the City would maintain and remove snow, after which they were supportive. A 6400t sidewalk will not have the impact to properties between Eastwood and Long Lake Road that a 12 -foot combined sidewalk/bikelane or 11400t trail would.