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A stripped-down version of an infrastructure project that North Branch hopes to accomplish in the “old town” section, northwest of Central Park,  will be pursued.  The city’s engineering consultant was asked by council last week to return with a new plan, after council had set aside improvements that have been presented.

There are now about nine blocks of watermain that need to be replaced, upsized or have dead-ends connected (looped). The street surface where the work gets done will be replaced.  

There will not be stormwater controls or sidewalks or  pedestrian bumpouts, road widening or any other improvements that were part of the prior design that was shelved.

Staff told the city council there should be sufficient funding in the utilities accounts to work on the water system without assessing. Throughout the process of developing an old town project, a small percentage of the property owners involved had expressed concern about the assessment.  Mayor Kevin Schiieber asked if many additional citizens had been in touch with city hall on any other issues and was told  input was pretty limited.  

City Administrator Matthew Hill added he feels “ample opportunity’ has been granted for input with hearings, mailers, outreach. 

Hill added that monies which the city had planned to transfer into the former comprehensive improvements (in an attempt to reduce assessing property owners) can now be considered for earmarking towards something else.

The new scope of the Old Town Improvements will be finalized and engineering specifications developed so council can adopt a final project, to go for bids.  The action will come back at a near future council meeting.

The council also reviewed early details for engineering staff to perform an inventory and mapping of infected ash trees on public property.

WSB gave a quote of $34,000 to identify, map and prioritize trees that are ill with European Ash Borer.  Dangerous trees that are also in public high traffic areas, will be top priority for removal.

Hill advised council the supporting information compiled by the engineering consultants will be used to get outside grant funding to address the trees, because with an estimated 2,700 dying ash trees in town, this could become a “significant” financial hurdle.

The municipal liquor store soft launch of online shopping still has some kinks but manager Carla Golden said she envisions this as valuable. The customer can go to the North Branch store website and order items, which will be pick-up ready at the bigger location, east of Interstate 35.

And, the zoning code was revised to allow permitted uses in the downtown commercial business district. The city has been looking at allowing twinhomes, townhomes and quadhome housing and the vote to enact this was 5-0.  Planner Nate Sondrol said this will make for more flexibility in housing choices.

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