Council approves 28-foot easement for secondary access at Willow Creek and 20 Eighth

The City of Watertown City Council on March 17 approved granting a 28-foot public-access easement across a small triangular piece of city property at the northwest corner of Willow Creek Drive and 20 Eighth Street Southeast to permit secondary access to a nearby corner lot.

Community Development Manager Brandy Hinton described the parcel as a small triangular piece of otherwise unusable city land that would enable access for a corner lot without landlocked conditions. Hinton said the easement would be a private-street easement; the developer would be responsible for any grading, drainage improvements and repairs to the existing bike trail that the easement intersects.

City Engineer Justin Peterson confirmed that any grading or drainage work related to the easement and driveway would be paid for by the developer. Hinton said the easement location was chosen to meet engineering setbacks for the nearby intersection and collector street.

Steve with Area Federal Credit Union, speaking online, said final site drawings were not complete but that the likely plan was to enter from Willow Creek Drive and exit onto 20 Eighth Street. "That has not been determined 100% yet ... it would more than likely would enter from Willow Creek and exit and exit on the 20 eighth," he said.

Hinton and Peterson said the 28-foot width is the city's standard minimum for a private street; developers may be required to meet additional design standards if future work affects the bike trail. Council members approved the easement by roll call.

The council's action grants the easement; the city retains responsibility for the underlying property but delegates construction, maintenance and repair obligations to the developer under the easement terms.