Comments on Item 12.3 Clay St bridge & Cedar Ravine Culvert Sue Rodman, Placerville Resident, Member Measure H/L Committee 1974! Really? 50 years ago the city saw the need to replace the Clay St Bridge.
It was only 50 or so years old then, which is the expected useful life for a bridge.
Now it is closer to 100 years old, and we are extremely fortunate it has not failed yet. In case of a fire, it is too narrow to allow emergency equipment in and residents out. While I admire the historic stonework on the north (the Main St side) of the bridge, if you look at the other side of the bridge abutments, it is appalling. The abutment looks like cement-filled sandbags - not a standard abutment even when this bridge was built. One look at the railings and surface will let you know this bridge is falling apart.
If you look under the bridge into the Cedar Ravine Creek culvert, you will find the same type of structure that collapsed in the EID tunnel in the South Fork American River canyon. It is hand-stacked stone with a mine timber roof. In fact there are several types of culverts joined together from the bridge - under Clay St, Main St, and Pacific St, and only a few feet from the Druid monument. When this culvert collapses, not if, but when, it will cause major damage.
Public safety and respect for the city residents who live in neighborhoods served by Clay St and this bridge, and who need a safe evacuation route in case of fire, require us to replace this bridge.
CLOSED SESSION
City of
Placerville Regina O'Connell <[email protected]> April 11th Closed Session Items
Ruth Michelson <[email protected]> Mon, Apr 10, 2023 at 9:13 AM To: Regina O'Connell <[email protected]>, Cleve Morris <[email protected]>, Terry Zeller <[email protected]>
Dear Regina O'Connell- I will be unable to attend the City Council meeting prior to the closed session to make a comment, so l am writing my comment instead. Could you please forward this to the five City Council members? Thank you. - Ruth Michelson Dear Council Members-
Regarding closed session items on the agenda 4/11/2023; Item 1: Conference with Legal Counsel-Anticipated Litigation, Pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(2) (One case) The receipt of an email from Julie Robinson alleging a Brown Act violation, a copy of the email which is available for public inspection (Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(e)(2)
Item 2: Conference with Legal Counsel - Anticipated Litigation: Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to 8§ 54956.9(e)(2), 54956.9(e)(5): (One case) [Guest column written by Mike Owen in Mountain Democrat alleging breach of contract by City in Farm Trails contract].
I'd like to say that with a "Cure and Correct" letter, you could just choose to correct the problem that has allegedly been created. The "cure and correct" suggests you put this Farmer's Market item back onto the agenda, and add the Moony Lot as an option. That would be the simplest solution.
I'm not sure why, unless it's a formality, to assume "anticipated litigation." Most of us in the community are not litigious; we just want good governance. (On this issue, I am not speaking for Mike Owen, I don't know his position.)
The fact that the Moody lot option came up AFTER public comment when this was heard before City Council is another procedural problem. None in the audience even had a chance to comment on the Moony lot.
Maybe attorneys are paid to anticipate the worst possible outcomes and legal actions, but truly, please just put this item of the Moony lot onto the agenda, so that the public is noticed ahead of time. Then retailers in the area, farmers, Farm Trails management, and residents have an opportunity to discuss it.
Thank you,
Ruth Michelson
352 Main Street
FOODS
KEEPING KITCHENS COOKING."
Note that when the sidewalk is blocked, pedestrians are forced to walk around the truck in the middle of the street.
The photo above illustrates that pedestrians are usually in a social setting of two or more people. Because of conversations with one another, they usually seem oblivious to on coming cars.
SCOTT-NAAKE
NAPACO
Paper Company
celebrate
60 Years
1946-2006
US
FOODS
DANILS
Delivery trucks park near the corner extremely often.
They frequently stay for extended periods of time.
(Boars Head
SORTALAKE
- 5JRT261
Parked vehicles turn Clay Street into a single-lane road.
Which direction should have the right-of-way??
Notice: Pedestrian options .... In the middle of the street between vehicles.
CLOSED SESSION
PUBLIC COmMELT
City of
Placerville Regina O'Connell <[email protected]> Closed Session Items 1 and 2 REVISED
Melinda Velasco <[email protected]> Mon, Apr 10, 2023 at 4:56 PM To: Regina O'Connell <[email protected]>
Dear Ms. O'Connell,
I hope this email makes it before the deadline. Could you please forward it to the Councilmembers? I appreciate your help
Sincerely,
Melinda Velasco
April 10, 2023
Dear Councilmembers,
I am writing regarding the Closed Session Items 1 and 2 that are listed on the agenda for 4-11-23.
As I understand it, on February 28th you advocated for moving the Wednesday Farmers Market to the Mooney Lot this year. This suggestion wasn't on the agenda. Before the City Council made its motion, City Staff and farmers had come up with a compromise to move the location of the farmers market next year. This was agendized.
My concern is that the farmers didn't have a voice in the motion that passed in February. I spoke with a couple of farmers who are convinced that a move to the Mooney lot this year will harm their business. Further, they are disappointed that all of the discussions with Staff and the compromises they made ended up being wasted effort.
I think it would be a good idea to revisit this item so that the people who are most affected by the decision will have some say in what ends up happening.
Another concern is that by unilaterally deviating from what had been cooperative decision making, you are setting what could be a dangerous precedent. I am not suggesting anyone had bad intent. I don't think you had any ill will. I simply encourage you to be careful about bypassing collaborative efforts when they are available to you.
Please allow the farmers to be part of the decision-making on this item.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Melinda Velasco
Sent from Mail for Windows
іПЕт 12,3
City of PUBLIC COMMENT
Placerville Regina O'Connell <[email protected]> Fwd: Clay Street Agenda Item
Cleve Morris <[email protected]> Mon, Apr 10, 2023 at 11:27 AM To: Regina O'Connell <[email protected]>
FYI
Cleve Morris
City Manager
City of Placerville
[email protected]
www.cityofplacerville.org
530-642-5200
- Forwarded message--
From: Marian Washburn <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, Apr 10, 2023 at 9:52 AM
Subject: Clay Street Agenda Item
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>, [email protected] <[email protected]>, [email protected]<[email protected]>, [email protected] <[email protected]>, [email protected]<[email protected]>, Cleve Morris <[email protected]>, Rebecca Neves <[email protected]>, Pierre Rivas <[email protected]>
April 7th 2023
Esteemed Mayor, Members of the City Council and Staff:
I am writing to you regarding the April 11th Agenda Item 12.3 As you might be aware, I have been a vocal advocate of the reconstruction of the Clay St. Bridge and re- alignment of the Cedar Ravine/Clay St. intersection for many years. Since your upcoming agenda has yet another decision point concerning this project, I wish to restate some of my reasons for the necessity of moving forward with replacement of the Clay St. Bridge.
Primarily, the most compelling issue is safety. The existing bridge was built in an era when traffic was extremely sparse and vehicles were far smaller than they are today. To understand the issue of size, it is important to realize that our area's most popular oversize pick-up truck with side mirrors measures 80 inches, plus, (6 feet, 6 inches) in width. A fire truck is approximately ten feet wide. The existing bridge width is 161 inches (13 and a ½ ft.) including the 45 inch "walkway". Clearly, when emergency vehicles are on the bridge, there is no room for other vehicles to pass at the same time, regardless of the severity of the need.
When I participated in the writing of the Safety Component of the Placerville General Plan, I was taught the importance of adequate, current standard ingress and egress for emergency evacuation in residential areas.
When the Cottonwood subdivision was established, it altered Clay St. from a dead end street to a through street connecting to Mosquito Road. With that transition, it was acknowledged by residents and staff that a wider, safer bridge would be essential to accommodate the traffic generated by the new subdivision.
Therefore, funds were set aside for that purpose.
Having been a previous member of the Placerville Fire Safe Council, I heard many times how essential it is to have adequate ingress and egress routes in case of wildfire. The examples of the consequences of inadequate escape routes in times.of catastrophic fire in northern California are many and tragic.
Since that time, nothing has changed that would mitigate the need for improving the bridge. It has been recognized time and time again by multiple City Councils, by City technical staff, by the Regional Transportation Commission, and by Cal Trans that a new safer structure was necessary.
Since the City has the designated funding to finally improve this hazardous situation, it would be criminal not to see the Clay St. Bridge replacement project to completion.
Thank you for your consideration as well as all of the important work you do.
Marian Washburn
Azalea Lane, Placerville