05-29-2018 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING Tuesday,May 29,2018 7:00 o'clock p.m. 19. CONSIDER A PETITION TO CONVERT A PORTION OF BRACKETTS POINT ROAD FROM PRIVATE OWNERSHIP TO THE PUBLIC ROAD—Continued Bruce Paddock, 1500 Bracketts Point Road,noted he addressed the City Council a couple of months ago regarding his concerns with the development of the Dayton property. Paddock stated on behalf of the three property owners located on the private portion of the road,he would again renew his request to convert the private portion of the roadway to public for the following reasons: 1. Road profile thickness and material types are consistent with the current public road standards. 2. The road is in very good condition with little evidence of wear and tear. 3. The roadway does have curb and gutter which is in good condition and complies with public road standards. 4. The private roadway is really utilized as a public roadway thoroughfare regardless of whether the City calls it public or private. 5. The property owners located on the private portion pay the same property tax rate as the residents who live on the public portion. Paddock noted Staff s report states the private roadway is only 20 feet wide and less than the current public road standard of 28 feet. Paddock stated he personally went out there and measured it and it is actually 22 feet. Paddock stated the first 500 feet of the public portion of the road from County Road 15 to where it will tie into the new roadway is only 18 feet wide with no curb and gutter but yet that portion of the road deserves to be called public. Paddock noted the private portion is actually superior to that portion of the public road and the City has no intentions of upgrading it. Paddock noted the City resolution expressly says the private roadway width is not to city standards. In addition,the report also says the private cul-de-sac does not have a radius that is consistent to city standards. Paddock stated the private cul-de-sac radius is 45 feet and far exceeds the cul-de-sac that the City is proposing for the juncture connection of the public road to the private roadway. Again,the city road does not meet City standards but yet they are requiring the private roadway to meet those standards. Paddock noted his private cul-de-sac was approved by the fire chief at the time it was constructed and was good enough then but all of a sudden it does not meet the City's standards. Paddock stated in fairness to all the residents on Bracketts Point Road,the private section of road should be converted to public so everyone is served equally. Paddock stated if the petition is denied,the very least the City Council should do is to bring the first 500 feet of the public portion up to the standards of the private road. Crosby stated he emphasizes with Mr. Paddock but the problem with the situation is that they will be opening up Pandora's Box and everyone with a private road will want it to be converted to public. Crosby stated the City's road budget does not have enough money to handle the roads the City currently has,much less cover the cost of additional roads. Crosby stated he understands where Mr. Paddock is coming from on the taxes but that unfortunately not everything is perfect. Crosby stated the City Council is attempting to keep taxes down and at the same time fix as many roads as possible each year,but that approving this request would be opening the door to a number of other similar requests,which the City Page 7 of 11