Hopkins Council OKs 2011 Street Project

The street project that launched with such a clamor from neighbors opposed to accompanying sidewalks advanced past its last stage with minimal comment.

Council on Tuesday awarded the bid for a $1.8 million project in the northern part of town and adopted the assessment roll that specifies which properties must pay for benefits they receive from the project.

Construction is set to begin in June and be completed in October.

(See the map above for detailed construction locations.) 

said Hopkins received just two formal assessment appeals—neither of which cited sidewalks. One was from the company that owns Oak Ridge Apartments. The city used a different method to assess the company because of that property’s unusual orientation—minimal road frontage despite a substantial lot. Consequently, it received a higher assessment than it would have received if it was assessed like the other properties.

The other was from a 16th Avenue resident who said simply that road doesn't need improvement.

“Clearly we disagree with that,” Bradford said.

Those who actually attended Tuesday’s meeting had mainly procedural questions.

That may be partly because the city scaled back the sidewalks that caused so much angst in the beginning. New sidewalks will be built mainly on the west side of 14th Avenue, with just enough sidewalk on the east side to connect to the nearby regional trail.

The project’s final bid —decreasing assessments by a fifth for those assessments that the city hadn’t already capped, Bradford said. Properties that would have had to pay $2,900 will now pay $2,300. Those that would have had to pay $1,800 will now pay $1,400. 

Still, the sidewalk controversy is a recurring one. People don’t like the extra shoveling or people walking in front of their homes. And even though sidewalks are built on city right of ways, homeowners don’t like the perceived loss of property. Councilman Rick Brausen has also been particularly insistent that the city consider the costs of adding new sidewalks, especially in the tight budget environment.

The 14th Avenue sidewalks that accompany the 2011 project will cost the city about $10,000, Bradford said.

Echoing comments made at earlier meetings, council members emphasized the need for a comprehensive sidewalk plan. Discussion about such a plan is set to start at the May 31 Zoning and Planning meeting.