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City Council Regular Meeting Minutes February 24, 2009 Page 8 1 2 Mr. Hubmer provided an overview of the Arbors Alley Roadway and Utility Improvement 3 Project Feasibility Report and the proposed project schedule. 4 5 Councilmember Gray inquired about the need for a second entrance for fire protection. Mr. 6 Hubmer explained the access off of Old Highway 8 is not wide enough for multiple emergency 7 vehicles to access the Arbors. The second access provides another location for emergency 8 vehicles to respond. 9 10 Councilmember Roth requested clarification on whether City funds will be used on the 11 improvement project. Mr. Hubmer replied the project is 100% assessable to be entirely paid by 12 the benefitting property owners with no City contribution. He stated this project is not required to 13 be taken on by the City. The Arbors Townhome Community petitioned the City to begin this 14 process. He believes they are concerned about future expenditures on the alley. As opposed to 15 issuing a bond for this project there would be an internal loan that would be paid back through 16 the assessments. 17 18 Mayor Pro Tem Stille noted it is difficult for an association like this to borrow from a bank. This 19 mechanism allows the association to have the property assessed. 20 21 Mr. Bernard Grisez, resident at 2908 Old Highway 8, stated the developer of the project did not 22 disclose that the alley was connected to the Association. The Association found out about it 23 when there was a water main break that affected properties along Old Highway 8; it cost them a 24 lot of money to fix that break. The Arbors does not have access to the alley; it dead ends by 25 landscaping that is between them. hi addition, the Arbors has their own fire hydrant. The 26 Association would like the City to take this over because it is probably the only alley in the City 27 that is privately owned as far as they know. He pointed out that probably half the people in the 28 Association are retirees on fixed incomes. 29 30 Mayor Pro Tem Stille questioned if the Association Board has approved this transfer of 31 ownership. Mr. Hubmer replied he is not sure if formal Board action was taken, but the City has 32 received a petition that mentions that ownership of the alley would be transferred to the City. 33 This would be necessary for the City to conduct the improvements and assessments. The 34 Association Board members have given staff the direction to go down this path. 35 36 City Attorney Gilligan advised that the City would need interest in the property in order to 37 complete the project. 38 39 Ms. Norine Jaros, resident at 2916 Old Highway 8, addressed the City Council and stated she is a 40 member of the Board of Directors of the Arbors of St. Anthony. She stated the Board confirmed 41 after their public hearing about three weeks ago that they want to go forward with the project. 42 There are a significant number of homeowners that have signed the petition to do the project; 43 they have the support of the majority of the people to do this and they would like to proceed 44 should the City Council approve this. 45