The Municipal Services Committee on Oct. 6 approved new street design parameters for the Comet Ridge preliminary plat, voting 5-0 to allow the proposed collector and local street cross sections, including sections with 10-foot side paths.

Deputy Director Neuberger explained the plan includes a north-south collector, Hay Meadow Avenue, with a central portion featuring a 10-foot side path on the east side and a 5-foot walk on the other side; the cross section for that portion calls for 33 feet of pavement measured back of curb to back of curb. The east-west collector, East Apple Creek Road, would have a 10-foot side path on the south side and a 5-foot walk on the north side with a 30-foot pavement width and parking restricted to one side.

"Roughly that corresponds on the preliminary plat to a 10 foot side path on the east side of Hay Meadow Avenue that would connect to a trail at Outlot 3," Neuberger said. The balance of local streets would generally have 5-foot sidewalks on both sides and 27 feet of pavement, with parking restricted to one side.

Aldergaard raised concerns about homeowner expectations and long-term maintenance, noting a previous subdivision met with community resistance after residents said they were unaware a 10-foot side path would be installed. "We need to have really good communication with the developers, letting these people know that eventually there will be a 10 foot sidewalk in front of their house," Aldergaard said. Neuberger and staff said both the Department of Public Works and Community Development will work to encourage developers to communicate with prospective buyers.

Jeff Schultz, an engineer with Martinson and Eisley, suggested an enforceable condition: require a statement on the final plat that prospective buyers shall be notified a 10-foot side path is planned adjacent to their lots. "A final plat needs to get recorded for somebody to purchase a lot ... So you could have, as a condition on the final plat, just have us put wording that those lots shall know that there's a 10 foot side path along their lots," Schultz said.

Staff also told the committee that the city currently performs snow removal on 10-foot side paths, which carries ongoing operations and maintenance costs. Neuberger warned that complete streets designs can reduce capital costs in some cases but often increase long-term O&M burdens. Stormwater ponds for the development are proposed in Lot 1 and Outlot 2; staff said development-agreement negotiations will address phased construction of conveyance and stormwater management so Phase 1 can proceed.

The committee approved the design parameters 5-0. Staff said the project will also be reviewed by the Plan Commission later in the week.