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Xccent plan clears key hurdle in Wyoming |
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Wednesday, 20 February 2008 |
Alice Pickering
Wyoming Reporter
Wyoming City Council has adopted the memorandum of agreement between the city of Wyoming and Wyoming Township to pave the way for a new company to move to Wyoming. The agreement will govern issues related to the development of the Xccent property in Wyoming Township. The site parallels the freeway, south of the Fairview hospital campus and is in process of being annexed to the city.
Action came during the city council meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 6.
Attorney Dave Snyder explained that the memorandum addresses the concerns of neighborhood residents about some aspects of development. Among other things, the township wants the zoning in the area to be preserved.
Councilman Gary Menne expressed concern that no one seemed to be listening to the concerns of residents who live on 250th Street, many of whom objected to the anticipated heavy truck travel through the neighborhood.
Roger Elmore, Wyoming Town Board Chair, said the agreement incorporated concerns of residents and that was the primary reason for the document. Conditions for the re-zone of that particular site were announced by the township and they were incorporated into the document.
Elmore added that the residents had other questions about agreements made with the owners of Xccent.
Administrator Craig Mattson said commercial traffic would stay off the street, although 250th Street could be used for emergency traffic. The main issue is that “commercial traffic be minimized in an area that is historically residential and Xccent was agreeable to all conditions,” Snyder said.
The agreement passed by a 3-1 vote with Menne opposed.
Mayor Sheldon Anderson did not attend the meeting.
Forest Blvd. Trail
In action related to the agreement, council authorized WSB, the city’s engineering consultants, to prepare a feasibility study for the extension of Forest Blvd. Trail Street and utilities.
The area to be studied is between Highway 61 and the freeway, north of Heims Lake. This is to determine possible location of a street for access to Xccent and associated costs for construction.
In answer to questions, Engineer Mark Erichson estimated the cost of the study to be between $10,000 and $20,000. Menne asked about the source of funds for the study.
Mattson explained that as with other such studies, funds would be recovered as soon as bonds were sold for a project.
Erichson encouraged an early start. One reason is there is a reserve to the front end of such projects. He anticipates final design would be completed in April.
One aspect of the feasibility study is land appraisal. Any assessments to property would be based on benefits to the properties which are adjacent to the route. The vote was 3-1, with Menne opposing the action.
A second feasibility study was approved to determine the cost of utility extensions for the Wyoming Trail Corridor between Goodview Avenue and Highway 61. This would provide additional information for the development of the comprehensive plan. Council approved this by a 4-0 vote.
Other items
Peterson Companies has completed the decommissioning of the city wastewater treatment plant. Council approved pay voucher No. 5, in the amount of $67,316.18, for the work done and also approved list of conditions to be met before the firm receives the final payment. Conditions include a one-year warranty and maintenance bond. The entire project is to prepare the site for sale to Polaris.
By unanimous vote council members adopted a resolution approving payment of a change order for the joint sewer pipeline, authorizing the paving and striping of a part of CR-77, after a freeze and thaw cycle, to be certain any additional settling of the roadbed had occurred. The work has been completed and council action authorizes payment for it.
Council authorized pay estimate No. 10 to S.R. Weidema, in the amount of $117,866.13, for work on the joint sewer system. Erichson said the city is working to close these projects as soon as work is done. A final future payment is yet to be determined. The vote was 4-0.
Items approved under the consent agenda included council appointment of Dillon Orth as a probationary firefighter with the Wyoming Fire Department. Council members also approved a first pay voucher, in the amount of $4797.50 for Jay Bros. Inc., for the Railroad Ave. lift station generator.
Other business
In other business, the city council:
•Declared a trailer owned by the fire department surplus equipment and authorized its sale with a minimum bid of $1000. Proceeds from the sale are to be used for the grass rig. The vote was 4-0.
•Approved a recommendation by Councilman Joe Zerwas to use $10,000 from the city’s gambling fund to make a contribution to the Teen Center Fund raiser as part of Mayor Anderson’s Extreme Fundraiser. Zerwas added a personal contribution of $50 of his own. Upon the recommendation of City Attorney Snyder council OK’d a consensus opinion from the council with a formal resolution to be prepared for the next regular meeting.
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