HomeMy WebLinkAboutCollege Street Trail Extension
Commission Memorandum
REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Ron Dingman, Park and Recreation Director
Chuck Winn, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: College Street Trail Extension
MEETING DATE: April 27, 2009
RECOMMENDATION: Authorize Staff to work with GVLT to construct a trail connection
from Black Avenue, at College Street, to connect east to the Gallagator trail system.
BACKGROUND: Since the construction of the College Street Condominiums in 1991, the
public has utilized the sidewalk along the north edge of the condos as an access to the Gallagator
Trail system. A portion of this walk lies within the ROW but jogs onto private property about
half way in as it travels east.
Because of the close proximity to the adjacent homes, and occasional conflicts between
pedestrians and homeowners, GVLT has proposed to develop a trail connector from Black Ave.
to the Gallagator Trail. This would be constructed within the College Street ROW. By
developing this trail connector, both the homeowners at the College Street Condominiums and
the public would benefit from an increased buffer distance.
FISCAL EFFECTS: The proposed trail would be funded and constructed by GVLT with
assistance from City staff. Additional maintenance by the City Parks Division will be needed for
this section.
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ALTERNATIVES: As suggested by the City Commission.
Attachments:
· Map of proposed trail
· GVLT trail proposal
Report compiled on 4/21/09
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•P. O. Box 7021 • 25 N. Willson, Suite E • Bozeman, MT 59771 •
• 406-587-8404 • Fax 406-582-1136 • www.gvlt.org • landtrust@gvlt.org •
March 26, 2009
Bozeman City Commission
P.O. Box 1230
Bozeman, MT 59771-1230
Dear Commissioners and City Staff,
Gallatin Valley Land Trust is seeking permission to construct a trail - described in detail below - within
the College Street right-of-way, connecting South Black Street to the Gallagator Linear Park. GVLT
would coordinate this project in partnership with the City Parks Department.
GVLT believes it is important and logical to create a trail connection in this location to directly access
College, which is one of the most important east-west streets in this area of our community, providing a
connection to residential neighborhoods, commercial destinations, and the MSU campus.
Project Description:
As illustrated on the attached map, an approximately 300-foot long, six-foot wide natural fines
trail would be constructed through a 60-foot wide parcel of City-owned property which is the
easternmost section of the College Street right-of-way. The new trail would connect the
intersection of South Black Street and College Street to the existing spur trail that connects the
Gallagator Trail to Alderson Street. Located entirely within the public right-of-way, the trail
would be part of the City’s “Main Street to the Mountains” trail system, providing a non-
motorized public bicycle-pedestrian pathway.
The College Street right-of-way parcel is heavily overgrown with trees and bushes. Along the
parcel’s northern side, within the public right-of-way, there is a powerline corridor that consists of
a raised berm with several powerline polls on it. At the base of the berm, along its south side, is a
drainage ditch that was dug many years ago.
GVLT proposes weaving the trail through the central portion of the right-of-way on the south
side of the drainage ditch, cutting as little vegetation as possible and leaving as much of a
vegetated buffer as possible between the trail and the apartments that border the south side of the
public property.
GVLT believes the trail should not be located on top of the berm or in the bottom of the
drainage ditch for the following reasons:
Ø A trail on top of the berm would be unsafe because a bicyclist who crashed over the side
would face a potential fall, that could result in significant injury.
Ø Trail users on top of the berm would be looking down into the backyard of the residence to
the north, greatly reducing privacy for this property owner and potentially resulting in
conflicts between the residents and trail users.
Ø Placing the trail in the low area at the base of the berm would require cutting significant
amounts of vegetation resulting in greater habitat destruction, and would present drainage
challenges that would be difficult or impossible to resolve.
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• GVLT • P. O. Box 7021 • 25 N. Willson, Suite E • Bozeman, MT 59771 •
• 406-587-8404 • Fax 406-582-1136 • www.gvlt.org • landtrust@gvlt.org •
Signage:
At the west end of the new trail, where it intersects the Black Street sidewalk, GVLT would place
a standard trail totem with a “Main Street to the Mountains” sign and directional signage. A
smaller 4”x4” post with “Dogs on Leash” and “No Motorized” signs would also be installed at
this trail entrance. On the east end of the new trail where it intersects the existing trail, a simple
directional sign and post would be installed indicating the connection to College Avenue and
Black Street.
Trail Construction:
Trail layout would be flagged by GVLT and approved by the City Parks Department prior to
construction. GVLT would coordinate and supervise construction using City approved trail
standards, and the work would be done using volunteers and donated materials. Every effort will
be made to minimize the cutting of vegetation and the disturbance to wildlife habitat. This trail
segment would be included in GVLT’s Adopt-A-Trail Program to assist with long-term
maintenance. We anticipate construction taking place this summer.
Background:
This undeveloped section of the College Street right-of-way has a sidewalk running along its
south side which was constructed as part of the College Street Apartments, which border the
south side of the public property. For many years, trail users have used this sidewalk and a short
section of user-created path to travel between the Gallagator Linear Park and South Black Street.
Several of the apartment owners have objected to this use and over the last couple years have
repeatedly tried to close this informal pedestrian connection. Reports of conflicts between some
of the apartment owners and trail users came to GVLT’s attention in the fall of 2007.
When the apartments were built in the early 1990s by Clair Daines, Inc., a reduced front yard
setback was granted to the developer. The five-foot wide sidewalk was built along the north side
of the apartments and outside this ten-foot wide setback. The very close proximity of the
sidewalk to the front of the apartments is one of the reasons for the apartment owners’ objection
to the public use.
The section of the sidewalk starting at South Black and running in front of units 1-4 is located
within the public right-of-way. The sidewalk then bends to the south into private property
between units #4 and #5 and then terminates just beyond the last unit, #7. The user-created
path continues across public property from the sidewalk’s dead end approximately 75 feet to
intersect Gallagator trail spur at the north end of the bridge crossing Mathew Bird Creek.
In an effort to try to resolve the conflicts between apartment owners and trail users, I met with
the condo owners two times, in the spring of 2008 and fall of 2008. The apartment owner’s main
complaint was about a lack of privacy due to the reduced front yard setback and close proximity
of the sidewalk to their front porches. They also expressed concerns and fears about liability, dogs
off leash, reduced property values, increased crime, vandalism, etc. I presented the owners with
several possible solutions:
Ø Allow the public to use the sidewalk but move the existing social trail at the end of the
sidewalk further to the north to increase a buffer for the last apartment.
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• GVLT • P. O. Box 7021 • 25 N. Willson, Suite E • Bozeman, MT 59771 •
• 406-587-8404 • Fax 406-582-1136 • www.gvlt.org • landtrust@gvlt.org •
Ø Build a new trail from the bend in the sidewalk that would provide a buffer for the last three
condos.
Ø Build a new trail that is completely within the right-of-way and separate from the sidewalk.
One of the apartment owners supported allowing public use of the sidewalk with an improved
reroute at the end of the sidewalk or at the bend in the sidewalk. The other three owners opposed
any public access to the sidewalk or any trail improvements within the right-of-way. The
apartment owners’ association has since placed a sign on the sidewalk that indicates the sidewalk
is only for the homeowner’s use and the use of their invited guests. In the latest development a
formal police report was filed by one of the apartment owners against a neighbor who walked
down the sidewalk to access the Gallagator Linear Park.
Liability Concerns:
GVLT has contacted City Staff to discuss the apartment owners’ liability concerns and it is our
understanding based on these discussions that the apartment owners would not have any liability
in relation to the proposed trail if it is within the public right-of-way.
No Action Alternative:
GVLT believes that taking no action is not a viable alternative as it would fail to resolve the
inherent conflicts in the situation, and the two exiting trail spurs in the vicinity do not meet the
need that would be addressed with the proposed trail:
Ø The public has been using the sidewalk and the existing user-created path to access the
community trail system for over 20 years, since the apartments were first developed. Unless a
better alternative is provided the trail user/apartment owner conflicts will persist.
Ø While there are two other trail connections in the area – at the south end of South Black and
at the terminus of Alderson – both of these trail spurs connect to streets that lack a complete
sidewalk system, forcing people to walk in the street. Also, neither of these spurs provides a
good connection to an east-west street.
In conclusion, we request the City’s approval and support for building a safe and useable connector trail
through this public right-of-way. We believe our proposal represents the best solution for providing an
adequate buffer to address the privacy issues raised by the apartment owners, while providing an
important new connector trail that will enhance the walkability of the neighborhood, and be an asset to
the community trail system.
Sincerely,
Gary Vodehnal, GVLT Trails Program Coordinator
CC: Debbie Arkell, Director of Public Works
Andrew Epple, Planning and Community Development Director
Ron Dingman, Parks and Recreation Director
Thom White, Parks Superintendent
Andy Kerr, Engineering Assistant
John Van Delinder, Streets Superintendent
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