Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO: Vancouver City Council

FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services

SUBJECT: Local Improvements by Initiative - December 4, 2001

RECOMMENDATION

COUNCIL POLICY

Policies governing the Local Improvement process are set out in the Vancouver Charterand Local Improvements Procedure by-law.

PURPOSE

A Court of Revision is scheduled for December 4, 2001 at 7:30 p.m. to review a number of petition and initiative projects. The report for petition projects will be advanced to Council separately at a later date to allow as much time as possible for residents to circulate their petitions. The purpose of this report is to begin the formal Local Improvement process by advancing the initiative projects to the Court of Revision and reporting on the financial arrangements for the projects. Approval of this report does not commit Council to undertake the projects.

First Step

As required by the Local Improvement Procedure By-law, projects for the following categories and detailed on the attached schedule (Appendix I), are advanced to Council by Initiative for review at a Court of Revision, which will be held at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, December 4, 2001.

Court #605

I. Lane Lighting
II. Pavement and Curbs, Higher Zoned
III. Pavement and Curbs, Local Residential
IV. Lane Pavement, Higher Zoned
V. Lane Pavement, Local Residential
VI. Speed Humps
VII. Pedestrian Collector Sidewalks
VIII. Sidewalk Reconstruction

Paving 69th Avenue from Manitoba Street to Main Street

This section of 69th Avenue has deteriorated significantly. In fact, City maintenance crews must make repairs on this roadway every two weeks just to keep it in drivable condition. These two blocks were initiated as a Local Improvement in 1989 for installation of curb and gutter and full width asphalt. The project was subsequently defeated by the property owners. Given the frequent use of this street by City vehicles and its extremely poor condition, it is recommended that the pavement portion only be improved now at City cost. Should area merchants desire curb and gutter later, these improvements can then be made through the Local Improvement process. The estimated required funding of $120,000 can be provided from Streets Capital funds set aside for Local Street Reconstruction.

Financial Implications

Local Improvements:
Local Improvements is estimated at $2.44 million. This City's share is $1.57 million funded as follows:
- $1.07 million for the City's share of projects is available from existing Engineering Department Basic Capital Accounts as itemized in Appendix II
- $0.50 million is subject to the approval of the 2002 Streets Basic Capital Budget

Pavement of 69th Avenue from Manitoba Street to Main Street:
$120,000 needed to fund the paving of this section of 69th Avenue will be provided from existing Streets Basic Capital funds #SCA1B-UNAP.

Second Step

The Director of Finance reports as follows:

In accordance with the Local Improvements Procedure By-law, I am submitting the attached City Engineer's report. The estimated cost of these projects is $2,439,643. The property owners' share of the projects is $865,722. The City's share is $1,573,921. I have to report that the necessary financial arrangements can be made to carry out this work subject to approval of the 2002 Streets Basic Capital Budget.

- - - - -

Appendix I

COURT OF REVISION - DECEMBER 4, 2001

INITIATIVE PROJECTS - SCHEDULE #605

I. LANE LIGHTING

1. L/S of 32nd Avenue from L/E Oak Street to Laurel Street and L/E Oak Street from 32nd to Avenue to33rd Avenue
This project is being initiated following the request for assistance by an adjacent owner who is concerned with his neighbourhood and has not been successful in circulating a petition because of absentee owners. A Petition for lane paving and lighting has been previously attempted but due to an absentee owner rate of 48%, circulating the Petition has been difficult and unsuccessful.

II. PAVEMENT & CURBS, HIGHER ZONED

The following higher-zoned streets that are being initiated have strip pavements that are in poor condition. These streets are often difficult to improve by the petition process due to absentee owners. These streets therefore deteriorate, resulting in complaints and maintenance concerns. Furthermore, some of these streets have other reasons in addition to poor pavement condition and the reasons have been noted alongside the project. The initiative process is an effective method to use to deal with these situations.

2. Kent Ave. North from Laurel Street to Heather Street

3. Kitchener Street from Commercial Street to Cotton Drive
The Petitioner requested assistance from the City in order to curb and pave one of the few unimproved streets in the area. This project has an absentee owner rate of 30% which makes circulating a petition difficult.

4. 71st Avenue from Manitoba Street to L/E of Manitoba Street
Heavily laden trucks accessing warehouses in the area contributes daily to the poor condition of the existing strip pavement. Previous attempts to improve the street with new curbs and heavy pavement have been unsuccessful because of costs. As a compromise we are proposing replacement of the temporary strip with a permanent strip pavement capable of withstanding the heavy loads. Curbing is not included so current parking conditions would not be compromised and costs to owners are reduced.

III. PAVEMENT & CURBS, LOCAL RESIDENTIAL

The following residential street improvement projects are being initiated due to the poor condition of the temporary pavement. With the exception of the project on 2nd Avenue and the project on 19th Avenue, the other remaining projects are adjacent to flankage properties. The initiative process is an effective method to use to deal with these situations.

5. Prince Edward Street from 49th Avenue to 50th Avenue
6. Prince Edward Street from 50th Avenue to 51st Avenue
7. St. George Street from 50th Avenue to 51st Avenue
8. Wallace Street from 29th Avenue to 30th Avenue
9 2nd Avenue from Cassiar Street to Skeena Street except Lot A, Blk 96, PLN 16164 THSL (1710 Cassiar)
10. 19th Avenue from St. Catherines Street to Windsor Street
11. 39th Avenue from Knight Street to Lanark Street
12. 39th Avenue from Lanark Street to Dumfries Street

IV. LANE PAVEMENT, HIGHER ZONED

Higher-Zoned lane paving addresses Council's stated priority on infrastructure renewal. These lanes tend not to be improved by petition because of absentee ownership, yet they carry much more traffic than residential lanes, and the lane surface deteriorate as a result. This causes high maintenance cost and a significant number of complaints from commercial and/or apartment tenants.

13. L/E of Fraser Street from 43rd Avenue to the L/S of 43rd Avenue & L/S of 43rd Avenue from L/E of Fraser Street to Chester Street
14. L/E of Manitoba Street from 71st Avenue to Kent Avenue

V. LANE PAVEMENT, LOCAL RESIDENTIAL

15. L/S of 12th Avenue from the L/E of Commercial Drive to the L/W of Victoria Drive & the L/W of Victoria Drive from 12th Avenue to 13th Avenue
This project is being initiated to assist a property owner who would like to see lane improvements but due to absentee ownership circulating a petition is difficult. Our review of the situation found that approximately 37% of the adjacent properties have absentee owners, therefore initiating this project is appropriate.

16. L/S of 14th Avenue from Glen Drive to Clark Drive

17. L/S of 32nd Avenue from the L/E of Oak Street to Laurel Street & the L/E of Oak Street from 32nd Avenue to 33rd Avenue
This project is being initiated following the request for assistance by an adjacent owner who is concerned with his neighbourhood and has not been successful in circulating a petition because of absentee owners. A Petition for lane paving and lighting has been previously attempted but due to an absentee owner rate of 48%, circulating the Petition has been difficult and unsuccessful.

18. L/S of 41st Avenue from Argyle Street to Bruce Street & L/E Argyle Street from L/S 41st Avenue to 43rd Avenue
This project as well as projects #24 & #25 are being initiated for safety reasons after a circulating a Petition was unsuccessful because of a few absentee owners. Menno Court, a seniors facilities that occupies an entire side of the lane is supportive and advised the City that a paved lane with speed humps would be beneficial for the safety and well being of their clientele. Many seniors with walkers use the lane as a means of accessing and leaving the facility.

VI. SPEED HUMPS

The following speed hump projects are being initiated as a result of complaints about safety due speeding vehicles using the lanes as an alternate route in order to avoid signalized intersections or as a short cut to their destinations. Circulating a petition would be difficult because of the number of strata owners involved of which some are absentee owners.

19. L/S of Broadway from Blenheim Street to L/W of Blenheim Street
20. L/S of 8th Avenue from Commercial Drive to Woodland Drive
21. L/S of 10th Avenue from Watson Street to Kingsway
22. L/S of 11th Avenue from Commercial Drive to Victoria Drive
23. L/S of 12th Avenue from the L/E of Commercial Drive to the L/W of Victoria Drive & the L/W of Victoria Drive from 12th Avenue to 13th Avenue

This project is being initiated to assist a property owner who would like to see lane improvements but due to absentee ownership circulating a petition is difficult. Our review of the situation found that approximately 37% of the adjacent properties have absentee owners, therefore initiating this project is appropriate.

24. L/S of 41st Avenue from Argyle Street to Bruce Street and L/E Argyle Street from L/S 41st Avenue to 43rd Avenue

25. L/S of 41st Avenue from Bruce Street to Commercial Street & the L/W of Commercial Street from the L/S of 41st Avenue to 43rd Avenue

VII. SIDEWALKS

On February 9, 1982, Council reaffirmed its policy objectives of providing sidewalks:
- on both sides of arterial streets;
- on both sides (as needed) of pedestrian collector routes;
- on both sides of higher-zoned streets; and
- on local residential streets, where property owners petitioned for them.

The construction of new pedestrian collector sidewalks responds to Council's top two priorities for transportation improvements; pedestrians and transit. Of the 9 new sidewalk projects initiated, 3 projects provide access to bus routes and 4 projects provide access to schools or parks.

26. W/S Cassiar Street from 6th Avenue to the L/S 6th Avenue

27. E/S Penticton Street from 17th Avenue to 19th Avenue

28. E/S Rupert Street from Georgia Street to Adanac Street

29. N/S Wall Street from WPL Kamloops Street to EPL Kaslo Street

30. W/S Willow Street from 15th Avenue to 16th Avenue

31. W/S Windermere Street from Grandview Hwy. to 14th Avenue

32. E/S Yukon Street from King Edward Avenue to Midlothian Avenue

33. W/S Yukon Street from 19th Avenue to King Edward Avenue

34. S/S 1st Avenue from Pine Street to EPL of Lot 1 & 2 BLK 219, PLN 59047

VIII. SIDEWALK RECONSTRUCTION

The Sidewalk Reconstruction Program is directed toward poor condition sidewalks in commercial areas which involve high pedestrian usage and are on transit routes. In this report there are 4 projects recommended for initiative. Sidewalks rating reconstruction are often badly cracked and sloped and may be patched in many places by asphalt fillets. In spite of inspection and regular maintenance by City staff, sidewalks in this condition are more prone to trips, water ponding and liability concerns for the City. Sidewalks in poor condition also provide obstacles for the disabled and seniors.

These sidewalk reconstruction projects are shared 50/50 with the abutting commercial owners, and the program has been very well received since it began about 20 years ago.

35. B/S Cambie Street from 16th Avenue to 19th Avenue

36. E/S Commercial Street from Victoria Diversion to Stainsbury Street except 19feet fronting Lot 7 & 14

37. W/S Commercial Street from the south property line of Lot 38 to 20th Avenue excluding LMS 3084

38. S/S Drake Street from Richards Street to L/E Richards Street

APPENDIX II

CITY OF VANCOUVER - LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS DETAILED SECOND STEP REPORT
Summary of Estimated Costs and Certificates to the Attached Local Improvement Estimates
Advanced on the Initiative Principle for a Court of Revision December 4, 2001

Court #605

CATEGORY

ITEM
NUMBER

TYPE OF PROJECT

P.O.
SHARE

CITY'S
SHARE

TOTAL
COST

EXISTING
FUNDS

SUBJECT TO APPROVAL OF 2002 CAPITAL BUDGET

I

1

Lane Lighting

$ 4,324

$ 771

$ 5,095

$ 771 30000535

  

II

2-4

Pavement & Curbs, Higher Zoned

$ 270,000

$ 83,327

$ 353,327

$ 83,327 SCA5B-UNAP

  

III

5-12

Pavement & Curbs, Local Residential

$ 130,513

$ 671,521

$ 802,034

$ 671,521 SCA5C-UNAP

  

IV

13-14

Lane Pavement, Higher Zoned

$ 36,591

$ 34,425

$ 71,016

$ 34,425 SCA5D-UNAP

  

V

15-18

Lane Pavement, Local Residential

$ 185,004

$ 200,099

$ 385,103

$ 100,000 SCA5E-UNAP

$100,099

VI

19-25

Speed Humps

$ 41,449

0

$ 41,449

    

VII

26-34

Pedestrian Collector Sidewalks

$ 77,896

$ 181,828

$ 259,724

$ 181,828 SCA2A-UNAP

  

VIII

35-38

Sidewalk Reconstruction

$ 119,945

$ 401,950

$ 521,895

 

$401,950

   

TOTAL

$ 865,722

$ 1,573,921

$ 2,439,643

$1,071,872

$502,049

The estimated costs provide for necessary incidental work. The cost of the property owner's share of the above noted projects, and interest, is repayable over 15 years, except for lane lighting which is repayable over five years.

Certified correct as to measurements.

_____________________________ ___________________________ _________________________

Certified adopted by the City Council on ___________________________ ___________________________ City Clerk

* * * * *

ag011002.htm

Comments or questions? You can send us email.
[City Homepage] [Get In Touch]

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver