Charles City Council approves permeable paving project, moves forward on trail extension, tree removals

Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City Council gave final approval to a permeable paver street resurfacing project and awarded the construction contract, gave preliminary approval and set a public hearing on a city recreational trail extension project, and gave preliminary approval and set a hearing on part three of the city tree removal project.

The council cruised through its agenda with only a little discussion at its regular meeting this week, having gone over the details in more more depth at its workshop meeting the previous week.

The council held a public hearing then passed a resolution approving the final plans and passed a resolution awarding the contract for the permeable paver project to Wicks Construction of Decorah, for the low bid of $734,191.44. The contract calls for completion by Aug. 30 this year.

That bid was more than $100,000 lower than the next highest of four bids received on the project, and more than $115,000 lower than the engineer’s estimated price of $850,000, according to Brian Sullivan, city engineer in training. Other bidders were Vieth Construction Corp., Shift Companies and Lodge Construction Inc.

The project uses the remainder of the Water Quality Improvement project funds from the restructuring of the State Revolving Loan on the new waste water resource facility to pay part of the cost, with the rest coming from local option sales tax receipts.

The project calls for reconstructing Howard Street for two blocks from Kelly Street to the existing permeable paving near Ferguson Street. Water main and storm sewer will also be replaced as part of this project.

Because Water Quality Improvement grant funds are being used, the city is required to maintain the water quality improvements for at least 10 years, including such actions as vacuuming the pavers and inspecting them at least twice a year, inspecting for plant growth between the pavers monthly, and inspecting the pavers after any rainfall of an inch or more to make sure there is no standing water.

Temporary easements will be required to tie in existing sidewalks and create American Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible ramps and corner cutouts.

Also at the meeting this week, the council:

• Approved preliminary plans and set a public hearing date for 6 p.m. on Monday, July 15, at City Hall, for the 11th Avenue Bike Trail Extension Project, which will extend the Charley Western Trail from E Street to Grand Avenue along what is known as 11th Street.

The council discussed at its workshop meeting last week that there is no known city right of way agreement to use parts of 11th Street – which is on railroad property – as a city street.

City Engineer John Fallis, attending the meeting remotely, said that easement agreements had been approved with the Cedar River Railroad (Canadian National) and the Charles City Railway Co. to allow the trail extension within the railroads’ rights of way at no cost to the city.

“This provides the opportunity to extend the Charley Western Trail and make a more complete looped system,” Fallis said.

Cost of the project will be paid with TAP (Transportation Alternatives Program) funds, which are federal transportation dollars set aside by the state each year for smaller-scale projects such as pedestrian and bicycle facilities, recreational trails, safe routes to school projects and community improvements.

Since the project uses state TAP funds, the Iowa Department of Transportation will handle the bidding process, Fallis said. Bids will be opened June 18. The IDOT will also set the construction time schedule for the project.

• Passed a resolution approving preliminary plans for the 2024 Tree Removal Project, and set a public hearing date for Monday, April 1, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. This year’s project will take about 260 more trees in this third and final year of the project.

Engineer Sullivan said the trees are in city rights of way and “the vast majority” of them died because of the emerald ash borer. This year’s project brings to about 750 the total number of trees removed from city rights of way.

“These trees are degrading quickly and need removal before they become a safety hazard,” Sullivan said.

Trees in this year’s project need to be removed by Dec. 20 this year, but stump removal, sidewalk repairs and site restoration doesn’t need to be finished until April 25, 2025.

• Directed the Charles City Planning and Zoning Commission to consider zoning changes that would be needed for a housing project in one of three possible areas under the Thriving Community program.

City Administrator Steve Diers said there are currently three developers looking at low income housing projects in the city, but the Iowa Finance Authority will almost certainly approve only one of them. Because the applications for low income housing tax credits must be made by April 10 the city needs to show it is moving ahead on required rezoning.

Once the Iowa Finance Authority has reviewed applications the city can decide which if any of the rezonings to go ahead with. Any of the projects would need to be rezoned to R-3 multifamily zoning.

The potential multi-unit housing projects and their current zoning are on 13th Street, manufacturing 3 (M3); North Grand and 21st Avenue, urban ag (UA); and North Grand Avenue between 19th and 21st avenues, rezoning the east side from residential 2 (R-2).

• Reappointed Emily Garden, Chuck LeMaster and Roy Schwickerath to the Planning And Zoning Commission and reappointed Michael Bauer to the Historic Preservation Commission.