At it's Oct. 2 meeting, City Council will discuss an
ordinance making supplemental appropriation from Capital Projects Fund in the
amount of $976,385 to the North Third Street Streetscape Project.
Core samples removed from three locations during
construction made evident the need for more extensive repairs to the roadway
than originally scheduled. This additional appropriation would allow for paving
that would last a minimum of 10 years before needing repaving or repairs, as
opposed to cheaper options which could require touch-ups in as little as 3-5
years.
The $9.4 million North Third Street Streetscape project
calls for a major overhaul of North Third Street, from Martin Luther King Drive
to Market Street. In addition to repaving, the project also calls for the
replacement of aging water and sewer lines as well as the installation of new
sidewalks and underground power lines.
The council will also discuss a resolution authorizing the
award of a construction contract for the Randall Parkway Widening Project in
the amount of $5.6 million. This contract would be awarded to Sealand
Contractors Corp. of Charlotte, the same contractor handling the North Third
Street Streetscape Project.
This project would expand Randall Parkway from Independence
Boulevard to South College Road in an effort to alleviate the heavy traffic
between Kerr Avenue and South College Road and allow for further traffic
growth. The project would also extend the Cross City Trail between Brailsford
Drive and Marlboro Street. The Cross City Trail is currently 11 miles long.
When complete, it will stretch for 15 miles between Heide Trask Drawbridge and
Wade Park.
In a work session following the briefing, city council also
heard proposed guidelines for consideration
of voluntary annexation requests. After new laws were approved by the
General Assembly last year involving involuntary annexations, the city received
an influx of requests for voluntary annexations. Many of the requests are in
response to increased demand for multi-family housing, which is easier to develop
in the more urban zones of the city.
The city has never had a set of guidelines regarding
voluntary annexations before, and Councilman Kevin O'Grady voiced concerns that
creating a set of guidelines would allow wiggle room for applicants to force
annexation and restrict the council's ability to reject applicants.
Matters will be further discussed and ordinances will be
reviewed at the Oct. 2 meeting at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall.
