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Committee approves $32,719 cultural study for West Creek subdivision; members debate $3.6M conceptual costs and scope
Summary
The committee approved a $32,719.50 cultural study for the West Creek subdivision and then debated the subdivision concept, with members warning that included building pads, driveways and extensive clearing pushed a conceptual cost estimate to about $3.6 million and threatened affordability. Staff will return with a revised concept and updated cost estimates.
The finance committee approved forwarding a Part 2 cultural assessment for the West Creek subdivision to the full assembly and then spent extensive time debating the subdivision’s conceptual design and cost assumptions.
Manager Dietz confirmed the Part 2 proposal is for "$32,719.50" and that the amount is covered by an earlier budget amendment. Assemblymember Potter moved to refer the proposal to the assembly, and the committee approved the referral by voice vote.
Following the procedural vote, the chair registered deep concerns with the subdivision concept as drawn. He warned that proposed clearing, construction of eight driveways, eight 50-by-50 building pads, wells, and wastewater fields would dramatically raise the price. He said, "This is going to spiral the cost out of control. We have a cost estimate ... $3,600,000 to do all of those things aside from putting in the septic fields," and argued that such costs would make lots unaffordable and that many of the construction elements (pads, full driveways) should be buyer responsibilities.
Manager Dietz and other members agreed the conceptual design should be revised. Dietz said he would prefer a new concept without building pads and full private driveways while ensuring access is feasible (for example, culverts where required), and recommended producing an updated cost estimate (a new concept B) and involving public works for recommendation. "I would like to see this concept updated without the pads, without the full driveway," Dietz said.
Committee members emphasized that some tasks (notably levy and river-protection work) have broader community importance; Manager Dietz noted a levy rehabilitation has a price tag of about $1,300,000 and that AML is assisting the municipality in looking for grants, including hazard-mitigation options. Members stressed that protecting existing property and road access should be considered high priority before selling lots or committing to construction plans that could be subsidized by the rest of the community.
Next steps: staff will seek a revised concept and updated ROM cost estimates, determine whether existing contracts can be used to obtain updated design/cost options, and continue grant-seeking efforts (AML). The committee will refer the approved cultural study to the assembly and consider the revised subdivision concept and cost estimates when they are available.
