CITY OF PICKERINGTON

SERVICE COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL

CITY HALL, 100 LOCKVILLE ROAD

THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 2004

 

REGULAR MEETING

7:30 P.M.

 

1.         ROLL CALL.  Mr. Hackworth called the meeting to order at 7:30 P.M., with Mr. Parker, Mr. Hackworth, and Mr. Wisniewski present.  No members were absent.  Others present were:  Frank Wiseman, Lynda Yartin, Jerry Dailey, Ed Drobina, Renae Hardy, Roy Hurt, Mitch O’Brien, Matt Schneider, Vicki Bradley, Mike Kelhoefer, Angela Bryant, Tim Bryant, Aaron Gorman, Doyle Hartman, Peggy Woodward, and others.

 

2.         APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF November 20, 2003, Regular Meeting.  Mr. Parker moved to approve; Mr. Wisniewski seconded the motion.  Mr. Hackworth stated he was not a member of the Service Committee at the time of the meeting, however, he had read the minutes, any questions he had were answered, and he would vote to approve.  Roll call was taken with Mr. Wisniewski abstaining, and Mr. Hackworth and Mr. Parker voting “Yea.”  Motion passed, 2-0.

 

Mr. Hackworth stated several individuals were present this evening from the Long Road area and if there were no objections this Committee would address that issue first so they would not have to wait until it came up on the agenda.  All committee members concurred. 

 

Mr. Wiseman stated he and the engineering staff have been out and looked at the area on Long Road, and they have some initial maps that show the elevations in the area and what we are trying to deal with. He stated there obviously is not a simple solution as the biggest problem is very flat land in a flood plain.  He stated the problem was not only with standing water, but where you would move it.  He stated they have looked at several options including tiling both sides of the road or a swail, however a swail would have to be up to four feet deep and from five to ten feet wide.  He stated another alternative would be to create a detention/retention pond to the south, and that would involve the MetroParks area, and you would still have to get the water to that pond.  Mr. Wiseman stated he believed in order to solve this problem we need a more in-depth analysis of what to do and where to put the water.  He stated this would involve dealing with MetroParks, wetlands, Blacklick Creek, the EPA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and all of these people would have to be involved in whatever we end up doing.  He stated the question for Council would be to what point the City of Pickerington shares in these costs and to what point the homeowner’s responsibility lies.  He stated if this Committee would like to proceed, he would request we have an outside engineer take a look at this area.  He stated Mr. Hartman will be presenting a study later this evening that he had prepared for the Janice Lane/Long Road area and he is well known in the field.  Mr. Wiseman stated he might be the best person to commission for this additional study.  Mr. Wiseman further stated there is the mound of dirt that is piled to the east side and the City will pan some of that out to make sure the water flows back to the east as it did before.  He stated that will be a small solution to the problem.  Mr. Wisniewski clarified that will be the responsibility of the City as the dirt was placed there as part of the D-Line Phase IV that went up toward the north.  Mr. Wiseman stated the developer is going to need the dirt and when we needed to dispose of it, he agreed to allow us to put it there.  Mr. Wiseman stated that will not help most of the people on the west side, but it will help the east side.  Mr. Wiseman stated if this Committee wanted to have Mr. Hartman do a study, he would get with him to work up a proposal and if the cost is over his contract authority amount then legislation would be necessary at Council.  Mr. Parker moved to authorize the Acting City Manager to request Mr. Hartman prepare a study for this area of Long Road; Mr. Hackworth seconded the motion.  Roll call was taken with Mr. Wisniewski, Mr. Parker, and Mr. Hackworth voting “Yea.”  Motion passed, 3-0. 

 

Mr. Matt Schneider, 8173 Long Road, stated in 1994 and 1996 the residents on Bowen Road, south of Long Road, and Long Road just east of Bowen Road, experienced the same type of problems he is having right now.  He stated in those years the Franklin County Engineer installed ditch lines, drain tiles and catch basins in that area that all dump into Georges Creek.  He stated since that time they have not had any problems with surface water on their properties.  Mr. Schneider further stated in all the time he has lived there, he has never seen Georges Creek go over its banks.  He stated he would like to thank the Committee for getting the ball rolling on this problem. 

 

Mrs. Vicki Bradley stated if something is not done quickly, she will lose her home.  She stated this last flooding came within one foot from coming into her home.  She stated she cannot wait for months to get something done.  Mr. Hackworth stated he understood her concern, and Mr. Parker stated he also understood, but all they can do is try to make this situation better from this point forward.  Mr. Parker further stated he has been a member of Service Committee for four years, and this problem has not been brought before them in all that time.  He stated he was glad the residents had come tonight and they would move forward as quickly as they can.  Mrs. Woodward stated the drain pipe that runs under the driveway at 8125 Long Road is clogged, and if that were fixed it might help the problem.  Mr. Wiseman stated he would have that looked at to see if there is something we can do. 

 

Mr. Hackworth stated Mr. Hartman was present to provide his recommendations on the study he had completed and this Committee would move to that item on the agenda at this time. 

 

Mr. Doyle Hartman presented copies of Janice Lane, Long Road, and Diley Road Stormwater Study to the members of the Service Committee (Attachment 1 to these minutes) and discussed his recommendations.  Mr. Hartman stated what he was commissioned to look at was basically three different areas where there have been flooding problems on the northeast corner of Diley and Long Road, on Pearl Lane and Long Road, as well as, ponding back behind the Janice Lane cud de sac area and over at 671 Long Road behind Mr. and Mrs. Bryant’s house.  He stated they tried to define what areas were tributary to these problem points, how many acres were draining to these areas, what existing pipes were out there, and exactly what was going on.  He stated they had tried to break down how much area was draining into different points.  Mr. Hartman stated Mr. Parker had requested pricing on various options, and what he had provided was the costing for various components of what could be done.  Mr. Hartman stated as another alternative for the northeast corner of Pearl and Long Road, a larger pipe could be run to move the water to the west and then tie it in with the system that is going in.  He stated he hesitated to mention that because you would be transferring about 25 acres of a tributary area from one watershed to another that is going in a different direction.  Mr. Wisniewski clarified the draining from Colony Park crosses the road right at Long and Pearl.  Mr. Dailey stated the decision of whether you want to intercept the water north of Long Road and take it west will be upon us fairly quickly because of the Diley Road design.  He stated that intersection is in the first phase of the Diley Road project, and during that time there will be lanes and turn lanes added.  He stated further if the City chooses, the curb and gutter section will come back part way so you will be meeting that with some sort of storm sewer.  Mr. Dailey stated Mr. Hartman had mentioned changing basins, and he is correct, the Codes do not allow the City to approve those and the City has not done that in quite some time.  Mr. Dailey further stated the 30-inch pipe that is west of the intersection, during the review of the Georges Creek subdivision we asked them not to build that as there was already a ditch there and there was positive draining.  He stated that was done because we were not sure what size the pipe should be, we knew a study would be done and the improvements to Diley Road would be done, however, we did ask the developer to put the money in escrow for something like a 24 or 27 inch pipe.  Mr. Hackworth clarified Mr. Dailey was referring to Diley Road on the north side of Long Road out to the Georges Creek retention pond.  Mr. Wisniewski stated that if the City went against Mr. Hartman’s recommendations and ran the pipe up the north side of Long Road, almost all of the calculations Mr. Hartman had done for the south side would be incorrect.  Mr. Hartman stated that was correct, it would need to be recalculated.  Mrs. Bryant asked why the City would go to the trouble of hiring an expert and then go against his recommendations.  Mr. Hartman stated he was not saying it was not a good option to do, but in terms of setting a precedent for the City, he did not want to go on record recommending it.  He stated if the City requested, he would be glad to re-do the calculations and price it out.  Mr. Parker stated the more pipes you run, the more expensive the project.  Mr. Parker stated he thought this particular project needs more discussion and he would recommend perhaps Service Committee conduct a work session to review what funding we have available and where we can start.  Mr. Hartman stated he would do the calculations on splitting the flow and provide them to the City.  Mr. Wiseman stated he would recommend the Committee accept Mr. Hartman’s study as a draft study, and after the information on the additional study we were asking Mr. Hartman to conduct is completed, then Council could adopt the entire study.  Mr. Parker moved to accept the Janice Lane/Long Road/Diley Road Stormwater Study as a draft; Mr. Hackworth seconded the motion.  Roll call was taken with Mr. Hackworth, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mr. Parker voting “Yea.”  Motion passed, 3-0.  

 

Mr. Hackworth stated the committee would return to the agenda at this time. 

 

3.         PLANNING AND ZONING

 

A.        REPORTS:

 

                       (1)         BZA Report.  No report. 

 

                       (2)         Planning and Zoning Representative Report (Mr. Wisniewski).  Mr. Wisniewski stated at the last meeting the Commission requested other options be looked at for the possible rezoning of the property at 836 Refugee Road.  Mr. Schultz stated the options being looked at were first modifying the request to a planned district so conditions could be placed on it, to review the interpretation of the cranes being allowed there, and, finally, to deny the request.  He stated he would be providing the Commission with some history of what had occurred in this area at their next meeting. 

 

B.         ACTION ITEMS: 

            (1)        Review and request for motion to approve rezoning of approximately 0.61 acres located at 836 Refugee Road from C-3 (Community Commercial) to C-4 (Highway Commercial) for Cat Tracks, Ltd., (Hurt Property).  Mr. Schultz stated there are six or seven parcels that access from this private access road and it appears the lot splits happened around 1987, so he is researching what occurred at that time.  Mr. Wisniewski stated this item was tabled at Planning and Zoning Commission.  Mr. Parker moved to Table this item; Mr. Hackworth seconded the motion.  Roll call was taken with Mr. Parker, Mr. Hackworth, and Mr. Wisniewski voting “Yea.”  Motion passed, 3-0.  (TABLED)

 

  4.       SERVICE DEPARTMENT

 

A.                 WATER UTILITY MAINTENANCE. 

                        (1)        Water services to Pearl Lane and Florence Drive (CIP# 98-01-002) – Update.  Mr. Wiseman stated a pre-construction meeting will be scheduled with Precise Boring and after that meeting he will be able to provide a start date on the project. 

                         

 

B.         WASTEWATER UTILITY MAINTENANCE.  Mr. Wiseman stated the older plant is now eight years old and we are starting to experience maintenance issues with equipment as it gets older. 

   

C.        STREET MAINTENANCE.  Mr. Wiseman stated our salt barn is full and we are prepared for the winter weather. 

 

D.        STORM WATER UTILITY MAINTENANCE. 

 

            (1)        Janice Lane/Long Road/Diley Road Stormwater Study (CIP# 97-04-001) – Review.  Mr. Wiseman stated this was covered earlier in the meeting. 

 

            (2)        Long Road/Bowen Road Stormwater Discussion.  Mr. Wiseman stated this was also covered earlier in the meeting. 

           

 5.        ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT CAPITAL PROJECTS

 

A.        WASTEWATER – R. D. ZANDE

 

            (1)        Wastewater Plant Expansion (CIP# 02-03-005) – Update.  Mr. Wiseman stated he had signed the papers for the loan today, and we did receive our Permit to Install (PTI) last week.                   

                        a.         Review and request for motion to approve draft ordinance to authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with Stilson Consulting Group, LLC, for engineering services for the wastewater treatment plant expansion project.  Mr. Wiseman stated this pertains to the operation and maintenance and is a requirement for the loan application.  Mr. Hackworth stated he did not see any dates in this contract, and Mr. Dailey stated the only reason this legislation was prepared is because it is a requirement for the loan.  Mr. Dailey stated the contract would not start until the date the plant is completed.  Mr. Hackworth stated the City Manager and the Mayor are going back to review the costs of the plant and if the costs turn out to be lower, we would just not use that amount on the loan.  Mr. Wiseman stated the contract prices from the contractor were good through February 8th, and if we do not proceed we will then have to start the entire process over again, re-bid, and go from there.  Mr. Wiseman stated we have hired an outside consultant to review the project and all parties will spend the next few days reviewing the plans to see where costs could be saved.  Mr. Dailey stated the contractor has been invited to participate if they can.  Mr. Hackworth clarified the Hickory Lakes portion of that loan has basically expired.  Mr. Parker moved to approve the ordinance and forward it to Council; Mr. Hackworth seconded the motion.   Mr. Parker clarified this contract was for after the plant is built to ensure that everyone knows how to operate the plant, etc.  Mr. Dailey stated this is purely a funding requirement for getting EPA funds as they require you to have a representative of the design and/or construction team on site to make sure the plant operates the first year.  Roll call was taken with Mr. Wisniewski, Mr. Hackworth, and Mr. Parker voting “Yea.”  Motion passed, 3-0. 

 

B.         TRANSPORTATION.  Mr. Dailey distributed a status report he had prepared on the various projects they have been working on. 

 

                        (1)        Cycle Way/Freedom Way (CIP# 02-03-013) – Update.  Mr. Dailey stated this project is winterized right now and the EPA has decided 401 and 404 permits are required and they are being initiated now.    

 

            (2)        Courtright Road. 

 

                        (A)       Courtright Road Extension Project, Phase III (CIP#s 03-03-011 and 03-03-012) – Update.  Mr. Dailey stated he had no update at this time.       

 

            (3)        Diley Road Improvements Project

 

                        (A)       256 Realignment Phase (CIP#98-03-005) – Update.  Mr. Dailey stated Phase II of this project has been bid.  He stated the bids were opened and a request to award the contract is on tonight’s agenda. 

 

                        (B)       MORPC/ODOT Project (CIP#98-03-005 and 03-03-005)   Mr. Dailey stated a progress meeting on this project is scheduled for February 5th.    Mr. Wiseman stated we are going through the application process for a State Infrastructure Bank (SIB) loan to fund all of the city’s costs such as engineering, the realignment on Diley Road, and our portion of the funding for the widening of Diley Road.  He stated the interest rate for a SIB loan is very small, and by doing this we will have the funds for the contractor and we will not have to wait for MORPC as their funding is split up to be distributed over five years.   Mr. Dailey stated as it is planned right now, Diley Road will be five lanes.  Mr. Wisniewski stated he has some concerns about that because we have Fox Glen, Sheffield, Preston Trails, Georges Creek, Manchester, the Reserves at Pickerington Ponds, two schools, about 15 residents, Cherry Hill, and Florence Drive all coming onto a five lane road.  He stated from a safety standpoint, his concern was traffic having to make turns off of these areas going into the opposite direction of the flow of traffic.  Mr. Dailey stated we have had preliminary engineering, and we are ready to start final engineering, so this is the perfect time to make these kinds of decisions.  Mr. Dailey stated he would be happy to meet with Mr. Wisniewski on this issue.  Mr. Hackworth clarified the progress meeting on February 5th will cover the schedule of when things will be done.  Mr. Dailey stated to discuss details such as the number of lanes, the speed limits, etc. that should probably be at a separate meeting.  Mr. Wiseman stated he would try and get a meeting set up to discuss these issues prior to the February 5th progress meeting. 

 

                                    (C)       Review and request for motion to approve draft ordinance to authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with McDaniels Construction Company for the construction of the Diley Road/S.R. 256 intersection improvement project, Phase II.    Mr. Parker moved to approve and forward to Council; Mr. Hackworth seconded the motion.  Mr. Parker stated he would like to make sure this was the portion that would be funded by the TIF and Mr. Wiseman stated that is correct.  Mr. Parker clarified there are approved access locations on this project.  Mr. Dailey stated if those accesses need to be revisited, we can do that.  Mr. Dailey stated what was proposed to the City was access off the realigned Windmiller, access off of the part of Diley that will be abandoned, no access off of S.R. 256, and a right-in off of Diley.  Roll call was taken with Mr. Parker, Mr. Hackworth, and Mr. Wisniewski voting “Yea.”  Motion passed, 3-0. 

 

            (4)        Downtown Revitalization Project Phase III, IV, and V and West Columbus Street Public Parking Lot (CIP#s 02-06-001, 03-06-001, & 03-06-003) – Update.  Mr. Dailey stated this project is winterized and will be completed in the spring. 

 

            (5)        Cover/Ebright Connector (CIP#02-03-010)

 

                        (A)       Pickerington Health Care Access Road – Update.  Mr. Dailey stated this is the project by the Mt. Carmel Health Care Center.  He stated the project is complete, but there is an access condition that must be finalized.  Mr. Wiseman stated our attorney is handling that at this time.   

 

            (6)        I-70/S.R. 256 Joint Improvements Project with Reynoldsburg and ODOT – Update.  Mr. Dailey stated the City had requested a meeting with ODOT to see if some changes could be made that the City could approve.  Mr. Parker stated that meeting had taken place and it was his understanding that ODOT would allow the left hand turn into Turnberry Plaza from S.R. 256, we would relinquish control of the traffic signal but if we were not happy with it, we could take it back at any point in time.  Mr. Parker stated he was not happy with the proposal on the signal and he did not know that any other options had been proposed.   Mr. Hackworth stated he had provided ODOT with a proposal that they had rejected, and the City approved a study that was being done by ODOT on what could be done on I-70. 

 

                        (A)       Review and request for motion to approve draft ordinance to authorize the City Manager to execute a state controlled closed loop system agreement with ODOT for the traffic signals at Tussing Road, S.R. 204, and S.R. 256.   Mr. Dailey stated he understood a new proposal had been submitted and ODOT is waiting for a response.  Mr. Wiseman stated he had not seen the revised proposal and Mrs. Yartin stated it had not come to her office.  Mr. Hackworth stated he would like to have the revised proposal sent to Service Committee so they could review it at the next meeting.  Mr. Hackworth stated this would remain on the table at this time.  (TABLED, 07/10/03)  

 

C.        WATER

 

            (1)        Water Plant Expansion Project (CIP# 00-01-006) – Projected Completed.  Mr. Dailey stated we were producing water and the plant will be under the one year maintenance for the next 12 months.     

 

D.        STORMWATER.

 

                        (1)        East Street Outfall (CIP# 01-04-003) – Engineering completed.  Mr. Dailey stated he had no update on this issue. 

 

6.         CHAIRMAN.   

 

A.        Review and discussion regarding Community First requested traffic study.  Mr. Hackworth stated he would like this to remain on the agenda. 

 

B.         Review and discussion of Draft Community Authority.  Mr. Hackworth stated he would like this to remain on the agenda at this time.   

 

C.        Review of Section 1(c) and (d) of Ordinance 2003-47 (Comprehensive Plan) – Review and discussion of proposals.   Mr. Hackworth stated all the Committee members had received copies of the proposals for review.  Mr. Wiseman stated the City staff has reviewed all of the proposals and it was their suggestion to schedule a session for Council to interview all of the applicants so they could make a determination on how we were going to proceed.  Mr. Wiseman stated further he felt we needed to define more thoroughly what we are looking for as our initial request was very broad in scope.  Mr. Hackworth stated Mr. Schultz was working on writing up some criteria as the proposals varied widely.  Mr. Hackworth stated he would also like input from Susan Crotty, the Development Director, and he was going to arrange a meeting with her and Mr. Schultz to review this issue.  Mr. Parker and Mr. Wisniewski stated they would also be interested in attending this meeting.  Mr. Hackworth stated it would be appropriate to schedule a work session to determine the necessary criteria.  Mr. Hackworth moved to schedule a Service Committee Work Session for discussion of the Comprehensive Plan Proposals and criteria for February 19, 2004, at 7:00 P.M.; Mr. Parker seconded the motion.  Roll call was taken with Mr. Parker, Mr. Hackworth, and Mr. Wisniewski voting “Yea.”  Motion passed, 3-0. 

 

7.         OTHER BUSINESS. 

 

Mr. Mitch O’Brien stated he would like to address the issue of some traffic signals not being set on flash or short signal during night and early morning hours.  Mr. Dailey stated he agreed with Mr. O’Brien but he did not make the decisions.  Mr. Hackworth stated he did not see why some of the lights should not be put on flash late at night, except for Refugee Road.  Mr. Dailey stated he would be more than happy to make any changes this Committee directed him to do.  Mr. Hackworth stated he would like to have this issue added to the agenda next month for discussion.  

 

8.         ADJOURNMENT.  There being nothing further, Mr. Parker moved to adjourn; Mr. Wisniewski seconded the motion.  Mr. Hackworth, Mr. Wisniewski, and Mr. Parker voted “Aye.”  Motion carried, 3-0.  The Service Committee adjourned at 10:25 P.M., January 15, 2004.

 

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

________________________________

Lynda D. Yartin, Municipal Clerk