HomeMy WebLinkAboutA002 - Council Action Form dated February 23, 1993 COUNCIL ACTION FORM
Item # 3S
Date: February 23, 1993
SUBJECT:- Establishing policy to not allow lawn sprinkler systems in the
area between the curb and sidewalk.
BACKGROUND:
Homeowners in the City of Ames are interested in being able to easily
water their lawns. Many of these homeowners have installed automatic
sprinkler systems to do this job.
City staff has had numerous requests to allow the owner to install sprin-
kler systems in the street right of way. Currently, the administrative
practice is to not allow sprinkler lines or heads to be installed in the
street right of way. The possibility of leaking lines or misadjusted heads
spraying onto the street have been cited as the reasons for not allowing
the system in the street right of way. Also, allowing the sprinkler system
in the area between the curb and sidewalk makes additional conflicts for
utility construction and maintenance activities.
Property owners are allowed to install the sprinkler heads and lines on
their own land and spray water across the sidewalk which is to stop short
of the curb.
Iowa Irrigation has proposed that the City accept a street right of way
easement agreement executed by the owner of the sprinkler system. This
agreement basically states that the owners accept all responsibility for any
thing that could happen to the sprinkler system. A copy of this agree-
ment is attached.
If sprinkler systems are allowed to be installed in the parking, City staff
has estimated that the number of conflicts between sprinkler systems and
utility installations or maintenance activities will be five per year. The
estimated cost of these conflicts ranges between $500 and $2000 per year.
This is because some conflicts will require repairs only while other con-
flicts will require reconstruction of the sprinkler system.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Accept Iowa Irrigation's proposal for street right-of-way easement
agreement and allow sprinkler lines and heads to be installed in the
area between the curb and the sidewalk.
2. Accept a modified proposal from Iowa Irrigation for a street right-
of-way easement agreement. The modifications would be to add the
City of Ames unilateral right to revoke the easement at any time,
instead of paragraph #5 (as with all current encroachment permits);
and require that the easement agreement be recorded with the prop-
erty so that subsequent purchasers of the property are aware that
the agreement exists.
GAF -•Sprinkler System
January 26, 1993
Page 2
3. Establish an official City Policy to not allow sprinkler lines or heads
in the area between the curb and the sidewalk.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
It is recommended by the City Manager that the City Council adopt alter-
native number 3, thereby establishing an official City Policy to not allow
sprinkler lines or heads in the area between the curb and the sidewalk.
COUNCIL ACTION
\jb\caf\sprinkle.128\jb:Rev3