Council approves LUTP hears jail concerns

Jamestown (CSi)  The City Council Monday, approved the final draft of the Land Use and Transportation Plan.

As part of the Public Hearing, Principal Planner for RDG  Planning and Design,  Martin Shukert.  highlighted the summary of the plan.

Items highlighted included:

The demographics and economics of Jamestown, indicating at 2040 population of 21,500.

A Retail Analysis, and growth potential was noted.

With land use, the area south of I-94 is targeted for greated growth, which now has poor connectivity with the rest of town.  That area is projected  to need about 800 aces each fore residential, commercial and industrial development.

With transportation, an second railroad grade separation is needed, and the plan pointed out growth in Southwest Jamestown in the area of  JRMC, along with, Northeast and Northwest Jamestown and the central city area.  50-percent of the future growth is projected in Southwest Jamestown.

Also addressed was traffic, in the areas of traffic light improvements, speeds and lanes of travel, and installing left turn only lanes.

JRMC President K. C. DeBoer said a top priority is better connectivity to JRMC specifically, and the southwest area, generally.

Mayor Andersen said funding mechanisms are being developed including a connecting road from the Wal-mart area to JRMC.

In other business

Stutsman County Chief Operating Officer, Casey Bradley, addressed the Council concerning Correctional Center finances.

He said the number of paying inmates at $65 per day is decreasing, while the local inmate population has grown  three and a half times in the past four years.

As operational cost savings measures Bradley pointed out a reduction in staff along with hours, housing fees, and changes in work release.

The City Council accepted Bradley’s recommendations and an exploration committee will be formed to analyze options of expanding the current jail or constructing a new one.

Representing the city on the committee will be Mayor Anderson and Council Member Gumke, who will join other committee members from Stutsman County and local law enforcement.

The city Council approved the proposed project and the issuance of University Facilities Revenue Bonds under the Municipal Industrial Development Act of 1955, in order to finance the cost of a project for the University of Jamestown.

And,  approved and authorized the issuance of University Facilities Revenue Bonds (University of Jamestown Project) Series 2015, in an amount not exceeding 2,000,000.00, under the Municipal Industrial Development Act of 1955, Chapter 40-57, NDCC, to finance the acquisition of a building located at 4190 26th Avenue South, Fargo, ND, by the University of Jamestown, providing classrooms, library, conference room, offices and functionally related and subordinate facilities

Also approved and authorized was entering into a Joint Powers Agreement with Cass County, North Dakota, relating to the $1,820,000 University Facilities Revenue Bonds (University of Jamestown Project), Series 2015A.

Also approved in conjunction with UJ Fargo project is the Loan Agreement between the City of Jamestown and the University of Jamestown, relating to the $1,820,000 University Facilities Revenue Bonds

The Assignment of Loan Agreement by the City of Jamestown, ND, to Bremer Bank,

National Association for the University Facilities Revenue Series 2015A.

ORDINANCES:

 FIRST READING: Concerning an ordinance to enact Article V of Section 25.5 of the City Code pertaining to a City Sales Tax for the construction of the Two Rivers Activity Center.

The meeting was shown live on CSi Cable 67, followed by replays.

Previous LUTP information…

Jamestown (CSi) The steering committee for Jamestown’s the Land Use and Transportation Plan (LUTP) have reviewed the plan for a final time, which lists five top priority projects with a total engineer’s estimate of more than $33 million.

RDG Planning and Design and KLJ Engineering were contracted to prepare the LUTP for Jamestown.

RDG Planning and Design’s Marty Shuket, pointed out that the five top priority transportation projects include: A road connecting Jamestown Regional Medical Center to U.S. Highway 281, an additional overpass over the BNSF main line tracks, improvements to downtown streets, replacing the bridge over the James River on 4th Avenue Northwest and upgrades to 3rd Street Southeast.

A second separated grade crossing over the BNSF railroad tracks is the second priority of the LUTP, planned for the intersection of 12th Avenue Southeast and 3rd Street Southeast, with the intersection of the two streets would occur on an overpass above the railroad tracks. The estimated cost is more than $13 million.

The LUTP plan includes removing Exit 257 from I-94 and creating an overpass from 17th Street Southwest to the Menards area. This portion of the plan has an $11 million estimated cost. These portions of the project could be built between 2029 and 2040.

Upgrading First Avenue and the downtown area are meant to slow traffic and make the area a destination, with one traffic lane in each direction with a center turning lane.

Shukert says replacing the 4th Avenue Northwest bridge over the James River will not improve traffic flows but is needed, with bridge replacement costs is estimated at about $400,000 and could occur between 2019 and 2023.

Also s priority is upgrades to 3rd Street Southeast to reduce the number of lanes and add bicycle paths to the street, and improve safety. The cost is estimated at $1.5 million and could be built between 2024 and 2028.

The LUTP is partially funded with state money, is used as a plan for growth in and around Jamestown and includes possible upgrades and additions to roads and zoning recommendations for potential areas of growth.

Jamestown City Council member, Dan Buchanan, Council’s liaison to the Planning Commission, said sales tax growth may be tempered by the incentive agreement that rebates the half percent city sales tax collected at Menards back to the company.

A final draft of the LUTP will be presented to the City Council on April 3, 2015. After a comment period, the plan is finalized. Executing any part of the plan would require action by the City Council.

Scheduled Jamestown projects by the North Dakota Department of Transportation through 2018 include a $10 million upgrade to 17th Street Southwest from U.S. Highway 281 to the Interstate 94 exit, a reconstruction of Exit 260 on I-94 estimated at $2.9 million and safety improvements and resurfacing to the U.S. Highway 52 Bypass.