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Home My WebLink AboutWD-04-99 , . THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON REPORT Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE File # JANUARY 18, 1999 Res. #C.:P A -43-'-) '1 Date: Report No.: WD-04-99 File #: C.05.28.17 By-Law # Subject: LEVEL OF SERVICE ON COBBLEDICK STREET, ORONO Recommendations: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report wD-04-99 be received; and 2. THAT staff be directed to provide a level of service to Cobbledick Street in Orono, consistent throughout Clarington, and as recommended in this report. REPORT 1.0 ATTACHMENTS No.1: Key Map 2.0 BACKGROUND 2.1 The Problem: Mr. Wesley Koapp is dissatisfied with the level of service being provided by the Public Works Department. Mr. Koapp lives on the southeast comer of Main Street and Cobbledick Street in Orono (Attachment No.1). The Cobbledick Street road allowance is deficient in width, being approximately forty feet wide. Mr. Koapp's house encroaches onto the Cobbledick Street road allowance and the sidewalk is very close to the north side of his house. As a result, the driving surface of Cobbledick Street is narrow and there is limited boulevard storage area on the south side ofthe road. The recent snowfall is the subject of his most recent complaints. Over the past two weeks, as a result of Mr. Knapp contacting individual Councillors, staff have been 1 j 22 REPORT NO.: WD-04-99 PAGE 2 dispatched to review what Mr. Knapp claims are serious situations. After attending the site, staff reported back that there were no legitimate problems. Mr. Knapp continues to pursue reconstruction of Cobbledick Street, drainage and sidewalk improvements. Staff have repeatedly responded to Mr. Knapp's concerns by attending the site and responding in writing, but Mr. Knapp continues to demand attention to these issues. The complaints and responses are on file in the Public Works Department (Our File No. C.05.28.17). 3.0 REVIEW AND COMMENT 3.1 Purpose: The purpose of this report is to inform Council of the reoccurring complaints and to reaffirm the level of service to be provided to Mr. Knapp and other residents on Cobbledick Street. Staff can then respond to complaints on a priority basis and ensure that equal service is delivered to all residents, especially during difficult weather conditions such as we have experienced over the past two weeks. 3.1.1 Snow Removal on Cobbledick Street: As mentioned previously in this report, there is very limited boulevard area on the south side ofCobbledick Street due to the encroachment of the Knapp house onto the road allowance and the sidewalk being located close to the Knapp house. Also, Mr. Knapp complains about the lack of drainage on his property. In response to these complaints to a former Director of Works, the Director agreed to instruct the plough operator to plough Cobbledick from east to west in order that the snow windrow would all be deposited on the north side of the road. 3.1.2 The Snow Storm of January 3, 1999: Mr. Knapp contacted individual councillors and reported that the snow on Cobbledick Street had not been cleared in accordance with the previous arrangement made with the Public Works Department (the windrow on the north side of the street). Staff confirmed the following: 1 I 23 REPORT NO.: WD-04-99 PAGE 3 Cobbledick Street was ploughed in accordance with the snow plough route. The first pass on Cobbledick was from east to west. Due to the large volume of snow this placed at the Regional intersection of Main and Cobbledick, the operator made a second pass from west to east. Because he was aware ofthe previous arrangement, and to maximize the driving surface of Cobbledick Street, the operator cleared the entire boulevard area on the south side, including the sidewalk, from Main Street east to Church Street. This. resulted in a small windrow on the south side of the street. Mr. Knapp, Mr. Hancock and Mr. Tilling reported their dissatisfaction with the snow clearing service to a councillor. The Director of Public Works attended the site and confirmed that the operator had ploughed the snow in the most appropriate manner considering the volume of snow and the width of Cobbledick Street. The windrow on the south side of the street was approximately one third the size of the windrow on the north side of the street. If all of the snow had been ploughed from east to west, the pile of snow at the intersection would have created a site safety hazard to traffic entering Main Street from Cobbledick. In addition, there would have been an unreasonable volume of snow deposited in front of residents on the north side of the road. The following day, the snowplough made another pass to push back the windrow, and once again, Mr. Knapp contacted councillors to report his dissatisfaction. Mr. Knapp reported that the plough had pushed the snow against his house. The weekend patrol vehicle was dispatched to investigate the problem. The patrol operator reported there was no problem. Mr. Knapp again contacted two councillors to report his dissatisfaction. Again, further snowfall on Friday, January 8, 1999, resulted in the plough clearing Cobbledick Street. Mr. Knapp contacted councillors to report that the plough had caused serious damage to his personal property. The Duty Supervisor was dispatched, on Saturday, to investigate the problem. Mr. Knapp showed staff that the plough had chipped a piece of wood from a 4 x 4 piece oflumber at the edge of his driveway. In fact, when the Duty Supervisor arrived at the site, Mr. Knapp indicated that he was having his lunch and that he would have to wait for him to finish before he discussed the problem. The Duty Supervisor explained that he was too busy to wait. Mr. Knapp 1 i 24 REPORT NO.: WD-04-99 PAGE 4 continued to unnecessarily delay the Supervisor with other unrelated matters and the Supervisor left the site. Staff have discussed this matter with neighbours in the area who reported that, in their opinion, the plough operator did an excellent job of clearing the snow, considering the . volume of snow, and the narrow street. 3.1.3 Recommended Level of Service to Cobbledick Street Cobbledick Street will receive the standard level of service with a provision to plough the snow from east to west under normal snowfall conditions (in accordance with the previous arrangement). If there is more than average snowfall, the operator will plough the snow in the same manner as this time, from east to west for the first pass and from west to east with the second pass. The evening and weekend patrol operator monitors all locations in the Municipality, especially during storms. This area will continue to be monitored but will not be given preferential service or attention. 3.2 Condition of Cobbledick Street, Drainage and Sidewalk Complaints 3.2.1 Condition of Cobbledick Street: Cobbledick Street is approximately forty feet wide with a surface treated driving surface. It has a narrow sidewalk on the south side from Main Street to Church Street and there are no storm sewers. Cobbledick Street is considered adequate for the current volume of traffic. It is not in the Municipality's Four Year Forecast and Main Street is not in the Region's Four Year Forecast. There are two factors that will change the priority for reconstruction of Cobbledick Street: i) If the Region of Durham installs storin sewers on Main Street; or ii) when the Region reconstructs Main Street. 1125 REPORT NO.: WD-04-99 PAGE 5 . 3.2.2 I>rairLage: I>rainage improvements can be achieved only with the installation of a catchbasin. Installation of a catchbasin is not possible since there are no storm sewers to connect into. Mr. Knapp has been advised of this, verbally and in writing, by the present I>irector and by the previous I>irectors, Evans and I>upuis. 3.2.3 Sidewalk: The sidewalk is on the south side Cobbledick and is very close to the outside of the road allowance. Reconstruction of the sidewalk is feasible only if Cobbledick Street is reconstructed including curb and gutter. 3.2.4 Recommendation: Cobbledick Street is adequate for current volumes of traffic and its present use. No improvements are recommended in the 1999 Capital Budget. 4.0 CONCLUSION Council and staff have responded to numerous concerns and complaints from Mr. Knapp over the years. In order to maintain efficiency and ensure consistent delivery of service to all residents, it is necessary to reaffirm the delivery and level of service to be provided to Cobbledick Street in Orono. It is recommended that staff will provide a level of service consistent throughout Clarington and as recommended in this report. Respectfully submitted, Reviewed by, ~~~ I>irector of Public Works o {r~~ Franklin Wu, Chief Administrative Officer JCO"SA V"ce 12/01/99 1 i 26 'L-.-r ~~-J I --j .~-~. ----I I J_, _I _I I , existing sidewalk LWidlh of ROfAlIowa:e. 40 ft. l_.-L _'\ Cobbledick Street \ , L..__ I ~1 ~ Hancock I I ~';-=~ I Tilling "" ~ "0 '" o 0:: Iii c: o '0, ., 0:: Q) ~ ii5 .c: e ::> .c: U I I . Q) ~ ii5 c: 'co ::;; I-- I I I I _ 1- - -I . 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