Isanti council authorizes Icenia Hills street rehabilitation, approves modified no-parking and assessment plan

The Isanti City Council on Tuesday authorized the Icenia Hills Rehabilitation Project and approved the plans and bidding package after a public hearing in which residents raised concerns about sidewalks, driveway access and parking. The council voted 5-0 to proceed and to adopt a no-parking change limited to the north side of Dogwood Street and the north side of Birch Street.

The project covers Birch, Cedar, Dogwood, Nina and Marion streets and a nearby trail segment and proposes reclaiming the existing roadway, replacing failed curb and bringing some sidewalk panels into ADA compliance. City staff told the council the water, sanitary and storm utilities are in “very good condition” and will remain in place for the pavement work.

The project matters to nearby property owners because Isanti’s assessment policy would place 25% of the assessable street cost on property owners. City staff estimated the total project cost at $1,200,000, with the street improvement portion “just over $1,000,000.” Under the city’s estimate, assessable costs total about $266,000; staff said that spreads to roughly $23.02 per foot of “adjusted front footage” and averages about $2,000 per assessed parcel for the 29 parcels included on the roll. Final assessments, staff cautioned, will be set after bids are accepted and then confirmed at a final assessment hearing in November for levy on next year’s tax roll.

Jason (city staff) summarized the technical approach: reclaim the existing street section, blend pavement with underlying gravel, install a new bituminous surface, and replace only failed curb and noncompliant sidewalk panels. “Two of the streets are state aid routes, Birch and Dogwood,” he said, noting that state-aid procedures apply. He described two bidding options for the trail: a full removal and straightening (estimated about $76,000) or a straight overlay (estimated about $20,000) to compare cost-effectiveness.

Open-house feedback and public comments shaped several choices. Resident Andy Fiedler, 519 Birch St. SW, said he and his neighbor opposed a planned sidewalk through their front yards and challenged the $59,469 estimate cited in project materials: “Both my neighbor and I do not want this, but on the other hand, we fully expect to get the shaft from the city of Isanti and have a sidewalk through our yard,” he said. Resident Janet Ross asked why the city would repair only a portion of the bike trail and urged converting a yield sign at Nina and Marion to a three-way stop, citing child safety. Cheryl Davidson asked about driveway access during curb work; staff responded that concrete curb pours require about a one-week cure and that, if curb replacement is in front of a driveway, temporary loss of direct driveway access for that curing period is likely but that the contractor will coordinate and provide advance notice: “That concrete curing piece is the one, and that still is only if we have to do the curb literally in front of it.”

Traffic-calming and parking on Dogwood were the council’s most contested operational decisions. Staff proposed either no parking on both sides of Dogwood to tighten the corridor or shifting the roadway crown and striping so parking could be retained on one side while achieving the corridor-feel that reduces speeds. After council discussion and resident input, council directed staff to limit the no-parking resolution to the north side of Dogwood (and the north side of Birch) while bidding the project with the alternate that allows parking on one side.

Rain gardens were presented as a voluntary stormwater option identified by the Anoka Conservation District; staff said two homeowners expressed interest. The city’s existing rain-garden cost-share policy covers up to $500 toward residents’ rain-garden costs. Staff described three options: (1) the city install the curb cut and pay part or all costs and then transfer ownership and maintenance to the resident, (2) the city perform the curb cut but the resident installs and maintains the planting, with the usual maximum $500 city cost-share, or (3) the resident installs entirely on their own and seeks the $500 share. Council directed staff to bid the rain-garden alternate and to follow the city’s standard cost-share practice rather than pre-broadcasting additional city funding.

Schedule and next steps: staff said the city will open bids April 29 and aims to start construction in June; work may extend through the construction season and crews will limit contractor timeframes. The council approved three resolutions on a single motion — authorizing the improvement, approving the plans and calling for bids, and adopting the cited no-parking change — and moved to a final assessment hearing after bids are accepted. Council member Lundin moved to accept the three resolutions and council member Holmgren seconded; the motion passed 5-0.

Votes at a glance (other city items taken that evening): earlier in the meeting the council approved the agenda and minutes and took a series of routine votes including appointments, ordinances and permits (see actions array below for motions, movers/seconders and tallies).