Woodehaven Streets Need Repairs

Residents of the Woodehaven subdivision may get their deteriorating concrete streets redone, but it likely would be with less expensive asphalt.

The Duluth City Council at its July 23 work session directed city staff to develop an action plan for paving about 18 concrete streets in the townhome subdivision in phases. The directive followed presentation of a report by Duluth Planning Director Glenn Coyne that ranks the conditions of the streets and establishes priorities for fixing them. Some are in worse condition than others, according to the report.

Melissa Muscato, development and project planner for the city, informed the council that the difference in cost between concrete and asphalt was significant. She estimated that the cost of pouring concrete streets would be $1.5 million compared to $150,000 to $200,000 for using asphalt.

Installation of a water line by Gwinnett County accelerated deterioration of the streets, Coyne said. The county has refused to repair them, he said.

The subdivision, located off Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, was built in four phases from 1983 through 1987, according to Coyne. Most of the streets in it are public, he said. A few are private and belong to the Woodehaven Homeowners Association, Coyne said. The city would eventually turn ownership of all the streets over to the HOA, he said.

Adam Beck, president of the HOA, appealed to the council to repair the streets, which he described as “in horrible shape.” A previous agreement with the city to do so several years ago and give the streets to the HOA had fallen through, Beck said.

Beck added that he was concerned about the cost of maintaining the streets in the future if asphalt were used instead of concrete.

In the long run, asphalt may require some patching and resurfacing, but over time these costs would be far less expensive to maintain than replacing or repairing concrete streets, acording to Coyne.

Several Woodehaven residents attended the work session to support fixing the streets.

Sugarloaf Ridge ‘No Parking’ Signs

A decision on banning parking on the north side of Hailston Drive in Sugarloaf Ridge, another townhome subdivision, was placed on the agenda by the council for action at its Aug. 13 regular meeting. Duluth Planning Director Glenn Coyne told the council that when vehicles are parked on both sides of the “skinny street, ” there’s not enough room for emergency vehicles to get through. Coyne suggested that more off-street parking zones be added. This would be the responsibility of the Sugarloaf Ridge Homeowners Association, he said. The “No Parking” signs were requested by Susan Nolin, president of the Sugarloaf Ridge HOA.

Rogers Bridge Canoe Launch Update

Wesley Brown Jr., a landscape architect with HDR Engineering, went over the design and timeline for a new Chattahoochee River Canoe Launch at Rogers Bridge Park that includes natural plantings and an observation area.

Brown said HDR is in the process of obtaining necessary permits and meeting other requirements and expects the project to be put out for bid soon. Once started, construction would take 60 days, he said.

Gateway Art Project Report

Lauren Gary, a West Lawrenceville Street resident and member of the Gateway Art Project Committee, updated the council on progress toward acquiring public art for the Roundabout.

She gave the council copies of the call to be issued to artists to design the art and guidelines for the selection process. The council plans to review the documents at an Aug. 6 work session for possible inclusion on the agenda for the Aug. 13 meeting. The committee’s intention to issue the call for artists Aug. 1 will have to be delayed pending the council’s approval.

Councilman Greg Whitlock indicated he was interested in serving on the committee. The GAP Committee had asked the council to name a representative, which would bring the number of committee members to 20.

Duluth Cluster School Foundation Gala

The Duluth Cluster School Foundation has requested a waiver of user fees for an Oct. 12 gala planned on the Duluth Town Green. The council will make also a decision on the request, which does not include waiving staff, security and clean-up fees, on Aug. 13.