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MEMORANDUM Date: August 5, 2013 To: Janine Jordan, City Manager From: Randy Hunt, Community Development Director Subject: Report: Community Development Dept. – July 2013 Code Administration, Building Permits: Here are the permit summary statistics for June 2013: Month YTD 13 YTD 12 Month YTD 13 YTD 12 New Single Family 10 33 30 1,365,528.00 6,437,122.00 3,434,561.00 New Multiple Family 1 1 961,069.00 455,000.00 No. Units - YTD 13 (12) No. Units - YTD 12 (15) New Manufactured Homes Residential Remodel 27 91 112 263,990.00 1,025,521.00 1,204,586.00 New Commercial or Industrial 1 358,686.00 New Public Facilities Commercial, Industrial or Public Remodel 5 33 32 1,973,150.00 22,944,417.00 8,619,823.00 Demolition 5 12 6 68,300.00 1,758,300.00 52,290.00 Signs 1 10 9 55,277.00 203,423.00 37,459.00 Electrical 23 125 145 102,725.00 2,901,208.00 2,404,184.00 Plumbing 52 188 153 384,455.00 5,057,021.00 2,040,444.00 Mechanical 7 80 93 270,600.00 4,599,446.00 1,419,187.00 Misc. TOTALS 130 573 582 4,484,025.00 45,887,527.00 20,026,220.00 Permits Valuations1 There is nothing especially remarkable in the June 2013 statistics, except that our increased valuation in new single-family housing starts continues. Comparing YTD 2013 with YTD 2012 shows that new single-family house values continue to run almost double this year. Interestingly, the number of new house permits has not changed nearly as much during that time – meaning that more expensive houses are being built this year. That is in keeping with the new-house location pattern this year: many are in Grandview Heights and Coughlin-Pole Mountain 3rd Addition, where lot values are also generally higher than the median. City of Laramie Community Development Department P.O. Box C Laramie, WY 82073 Planning: (307) 721-5207 Code Administration: (307) 721-5271 Fax: (307) 721-5248 Engineering: (307) 721-5250 Fax: (307) 721-5216 TTD: (307) 721-5207 ---PAGE BREAK--- August 5, 2013 Page 2 I might mention that demolition permits are also well ahead of last year’s YTD figure. Demolitions usually are not undertaken until an owner has active plans for replacing the removed structure, or selling to someone with such plans. Increases in demolition permits are a cautiously positive sign for future growth. Code Enforcement: Here are the Code Enforcement figures for July 2013: New Issues for July 2013 Type of Violation Total Number Not Resolved Total Number Not Resolved Total Number Not Resolved Offensive Growth 264 165 126 291 207 423 207 Junk 50 26 9 35 20 133 20 Junked Vehicles 16 14 8 22 17 33 17 Abandoned vehicles 2 0 1 1 0 11 0 Other 3 0 3 3 0 52 0 Snow removal 0 0 0 0 0 243 0 Nuisance Totals 335 205 147 352 244 895 244 Volunteer Hours 58 0 15 15 0 73 0 2013 2013 2013 Coordinated and supervised 3 forced nuisance abatements End of Year to Date End of July June Although perhaps not clear from the summary statistics above, our department has noted that required abatements have increased over last year. The number of violations is also up, but not by the same proportion. Actual required abatement case totals are small (three in July), and it is hard to generalize from small absolute numbers; however, figures like these do call for heightened awareness. Staff will monitor trends in forced abatement cases and report as conditions warrant. Planning: July 2013 highlights include: Planning Commission/Board of Adjustment met twice in July holding a hearing on the following matters: PPUD-13-01 Grand View Heights Planned Unit Development PP-13-04 Grand View Heights Preliminary Plat ---PAGE BREAK--- August 5, 2013 Page 3 Two new development applications were submitted to the Planning Division during the month of July, consisting of: o CUP-13-11 1523 Steele – Home Child Care o CUP-13-10 2002 19th Street – Home Child Care The Ad-Hoc Committee established to oversee the update to the Parks, Trails and Recreation Master Plan did not meet in July. Staff will be working on the writing of the document and as parts of the plan are completed they will be provided to the committee for review. Staff continues to work with AVI Engineering on preparation of the LaBonte Park. Planning Staff continues to receive a high number of complaints regarding zoning enforcement action. In June, 14 complaints were under investigation, 4 were resolved, and 10 were still pending investigation. Interviews for Assistant Planner will occur on August 15th and staff hopes to have someone on board late August or early September. Work on other UDC and long-range updates continues: o Staff is continues the process to update the UDC Use Table and received input from the City Council. Staff continues to solstice comment for the City webpage and social media platforms and from area organizations. The item is proposed for Planning Commission Review in September and Council consideration beginning in October. o Tri-Hydro continues work on the I-80 Aquifer protection Monitoring Well Design and Hazardous Spill Detention Pond Design. o Staff continues to work on the Turner Tract Area Plan Update. Staff has reviewed the internal preliminary report and a public draft should be available soon. o Staff continues to review the Comprehensive Plan in accordance with the 5 year update. Engineering: July 2013 activities: Development Review Seven projects were received by Engineering Staff for review this month. Comments to seven projects were returned to the originating division, there are remaining projects are in review at this time. Coordination with other City Departments Engineering has been working with Department of Public Works Staff on writing policies for project management and EADOC. Staff has assisted Street Department with the upcoming South Gateway Drainage project. Staff is updating the Standard Unit Price cost estimating spread sheet. Construction Inspections Staff continues inspections of local development projects and City projects that are under construction. Staff is conducting inspections of storm water and erosion issues. ---PAGE BREAK--- August 5, 2013 Page 4 City Engineering Tasks Staff is working on updating (with intent to have a peer review) the City’s storm water manual. Staff is assisting in updating City Sanitary Sewer Infrastructure Map; project involves Utility Division Personnel, as well as IT/GIS Personnel. Staff is updating City Storm Water Infrastructure Map. Capital Improvement Projects. SPT 26 - Cedar Street – Coffey Engineering – Simon Contractors Construction has reached substantial completion; change orders to the construction contract and amendments to the engineering contract are being negotiated. A proposed drainage solution is being reviewed. SPT 29 - Fetterman/Russell 5th to 7th – City Engineering – Hamaker/Big Huhnks Construction is progressing. The alley portion of the project is nearly complete. SPT 36 - B Line (Bradley – Garfield) – AMEC – Simon Contractors Contractor is starting this week. SPT 41 - Garfield/Custer 13th to 14th – AMEC – Domino Construction Construction has reached final completion. SPT 42 - 11th Street, Kearney to Park – Wester-Wetstein – MSI Construction Contractor is starting this week. SPT 43 - Canby/Harney 9th to 13th – Farnsworth No bids were received; the project will be rebid for spring construction. SPT 45 - Ord/Russell 5th to 7th – Farnsworth – MSI Construction Project has been shifted over to Streets Division for management. SPT 46 - B Line (Garfield – UPRR) - AMEC Project is currently under design. - Cirrus Sky Data park – City Engineering Design team is working on Final Plat Submittal. - South Laramie Sanitary Sewer Staff continues to work toward renew funding. GFSRIV - Ivinson St (9th to 15th) – City Engineering The street has been surveyed. Project delayed primarily to allow Grand Avenue Improvements to proceed without undo traffic congestion. WWBA07 – West Laramie (Banner Road) Outfall Sewer – Trihydro Project is being resurrected. Staff is working to update contracts. – Cleveland Street Drainage - SEH Project is under design. Plans (90%) are being reviewed. Cottonwood Estates Drainage 2013 – City Engineering – Six Point Solutions Project continues on hold, until initial paper work and bonds are submitted. In addition to “Project Management” responsibilities for the projects listed above, Engineering Staff provides assistance to other City Project Managers in an advisory role and backup. The projects in which Staff serves as “City Project Engineer”, include: SPT 24, SPT 25, SPT 31, SPT 32, SPT 34, SPT 47, 36” Raw Water Pipeline, South Laramie Water line, and Landfill. ---PAGE BREAK--- August 5, 2013 Page 5 Traffic Commission Traffic Commission did not meet in July. Cirrus Sky Technology Park: The Cirrus Sky Preliminary Plat was approved by Council on July 1, 2013. Next step in the platting process is finalization of the final plat, which will cover the same area as the preliminary plat a single-phase project). As of the first week in August, all on-the-ground work has been completed and the plat itself is in latter stages of preparation by Coffey Engineering & Surveying. (The Council may recall that preliminary and final platting was awarded as a single Professional Services contract in March 2013.) Engineering design (done in-house) is also progressing toward the final stages. The Engineering Division necessarily devoted much of June and early July to the City’s SPT projects; however, all projects assigned to the Engineering staff have completed designs and all but one are under contract for construction, which brings Cirrus Sky back to the design forefront. Staff estimates the following approximate timeframe for the Final Plat review: Submittal to staff for technical review: mid-August; Planning Commission review and recommendation: Sep. 23; City Council review and approval: Oct. 14 regular meeting (or on a special-meeting date near that time if desired.) [Note: Mid-August submittal and a Sep. 23 Planning Commission hearing date may seem like a long stretch of time; however, it is fairly typical. The primary factor in that timeframe is the need to schedule the public hearing almost three weeks ahead of time.] Also in July, Council approved the MAP-21 grant application for preliminary Trail funding. Another July Council agenda item approved an option to purchase land on which the eastern section of trail could be built (along with the slope below ridgeline in the same area). Staff has been in active discussion with Rocky Mountain Power Co. and Source Gas to arrange for service to and within the Cirrus Sky property, with other franchise-utility conversations underway as well. Finally, the UW Board of Trustees reaffirmed the University’s commitment to purchase approx. 23.1 acres in the southwest part of Cirrus Sky. Once the final plat is approved and recorded and deeds created for the resulting lots, the way is clear for property purchases.