Parking Problems On Council Agenda

PRAIRIE GROVE — The city of Prairie Grove is dealing with parking problems in residential areas and on city streets and needs to come up with additional regulations to address these problems, according to Larry Oelrich, director of administrative services and public works.

Oelrich brought up the subject for discussion at the City Council’s Aug. 19 meeting.

He gave several examples of problems, such as large trucks and trailers that are parked along the streets in Sundowner Estates. If another vehicle is parked on the other side of the street, emergency vehicles cannot get through, Oelrich said.

In researching parking regulations, Oelrich said he’s finding that communities across the country are dealing with the same problems.

“The traffic problem is not just in Prairie Grove,” he said.

In an Aug. 5 email to council members, Oelrich said additional parking regulations would help but not solve the overall problem.

He suggests regulations that include allowing police to ticket and have towed or removed a vehicle that violates a parking ordinance under specific circumstances, such as one that’s left unattended on a bridge or left on a street that obstructs normal traffic, one that obstructs a fire hydrant or obstructs a private driveway.

Oelrich also suggests that parking be prohibited on sidewalks, trails, pedestrian walkways, more than 12 inches away from the curb, on a bridge or when parking creates a safety hazard by restricting the use of emergency vehicles and city sanitation trucks.

Oelrich said a parking ordinance would be introduced at the city’s September meeting.

In other action, the City Council agreed with a recommendation to seek new bids to build a one-half mile concrete walking trail at Muddy Fork Park. Two pedestrian bridges along the trail will be taken out of the bid project and built under a separate contract.

The city opened five construction bids in July and the lowest bid was almost $140,000 above the

engineer’s estimate of $200,000.

Oelrich said the city removed a spur from the trail design and modified the bridges to bring down the cost but the low bidder, KAJAKS Contractors Inc., did not want to amend its bid.

“My recommendation is that we re-advertise and rebid,” Oelrich said.

He said changes recommended to the bridge design could bring the cost down from the $100,000 in the low bid to around $25,000. Oelrich said the city will work with Progressive Trail Design to construct the bridges.

By making the changes in the project, Oelrich said the city estimates the project could be built under $250,000, which he said is “doable” in his email to council members.

In other news, the Council approved an ordinance to establish a trash rate for dump carts. The rates for dump carts will be the same as rates for city trash bags. The city will have both options available.

A customer with a 96-gallon cart will pay $19.50 per month. A 64-gallon cart will be $14.25 per month and a 32-gallon cart will be $10 per month.

The city is ordering cart tippers to go on the back of two trash trucks. The city has borrowed a truck with a tipper attached to it to try it out, and Oelrich said the drivers have indicated they do not like using the tipper because it slows them down.

“It takes more time,” Oelrich said.

Residents will have to purchase carts from the city and be responsible for maintaining them. Oelrich said carts will be available later in the year.

The Council approved the first phase of a project with a company called Precision Safe Sidewalks to have a section of city sidewalks surveyed for accessibility for people with disabilities. The study of the first three miles of sidewalk is free, Oelrich said. After that, the cost is $250 per mile.

The company has a procedure to smooth out raised areas of sidewalk to make them 100 percent compliant with the American Disabilities Act. The cost is about $55 per repair, Oelrich said, compared to the cost of replacing an entire section of sidewalk.

The Council also gave Oelrich the OK to get proposals from engineers for a drainage study in the downtown area. Oelrich said he would like to select an engineering firm for the study by October.

Mayor Sonny Hudson presented a proposal to apply for a state grant, up to $50,000, to tear out and rebuild the breezeway and front entrance for the Prairie Grove Senior Activity and Wellness Center.

Linda Willkie, center director, told council members the structure is deteriorating and has problems with leaks. The council voted to apply for the grant on behalf of the senior center.

In other action, the Council: Established procedures for the collection of sewer rates along Highway 62/Heritage Parkway for those who are customers of Washington County Authority for water but get their sewer service from the city of Prairie Grove. Washington Water Authority will bill these customers on behalf of the city, and customers will pay for sewer based on water usage. Bills will go out monthly.

Rezoned 15785 W. Highway 62 from manufacturing to B-1.

Rezoned 3026 E. Heritage Parkway from agriculture to B-1 for a new Gabriela’s Mexican Restaurant.

Amended fees for boring sewer and water lines.