City sets public hearing for $2.5 million North Shore Drive reconstruction

The Clear Lake City Council initiated the special assessment process Monday night for a $2.5 million North Shore Drive Street Project slated to begin in 2014.  The Council also set a public hearing for the project for 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 25.

According to City Administrator Scott Flory, notices to affected property owners will be mailed on or about Nov. 5.  The project bid letting will occur in January, 2014.

The project will be completed in a series of stages. During the summer and fall of 2014, primarily the underground utility work will be accomplished. Segments that do not involve any, or only minimal underground improvements will also be done at that time.  Those areas include: North Shore Drive, between 7th Avenue North and Buddy Holly Place; 1st Avenue North, between North Lakeview Drive and North Shore Drive; and North Lakeview Drive, between 1st Avenue North and Main Avenue. The balance of the paving will be completed between April and June, 2015.

North Lakeview Drive, between Main Avenue and 1st Ave new North; 1st Avenue North, between North Lakeview Drive and North Shore Drive; and North Shore Drive, between Main Avenue and 7th Avenue North, will be fully reconstructed beginning in July of 2014. 

The project will include excavating the existing pavement, street paving, curb and gutter, sanitary sewer main, water main, storm sewer, pedestrian scale street lighting, sidewalks and ADA compliant curb ramps, driveways, street tree plantings, and private water and sewer service lateral replacements (as necessary). 

The segment of North Lakeview Drive will also receive additional enhancements, including an extension of the existing North Lakeview Drive bike lane, brick paver walkway adjacent to the seawall, and colored stamped brick paver crosswalks.

The total estimated cost of the project is just under $2.5 million, with special assessments comprising $462,491.47 or 17.8 percent of the cost of the project.  Assessments for street paving alone are estimated $193,870 or 7.8 percent of the project. Assessments for other improvements such as water and sewer services and mains are estimated at $268,620.82 or 10.8 percent of the project. 

Economic Development agreement

Clear Lake leaders joined their counterparts in Mason City and Cerro Gordo County in agreeing to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) related to the potential future development of property currently owned by the county.

Brent Willett, executive director of the North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corporation, explained that the MOU is being proposed following an effort by the North Iowa Corridor EDC  to recruit a development prospect.  Willett said the prospect would have located within the unincorporated portion of the Highway 122 Corridor area ­ on undeveloped property owned by Cerro Gordo County, however it was unclear if Mason City would be unhindered to extend services to the area.  

Willett said based upon information it received through that recruitment process, various aspects of the “Developing Common Ground” Plan, developed in 1999, would have proven beneficial.  As a result, the NICEDC convened a work group comprised of elected and appointed representatives of all three  public entities to discuss a strategy to build upon and implement a fundamental component of that Plan. The MOU was created to address the potential future development of primarily the parcel of property currently owned by Cerro Gordo County, which is contiguous with the corporate limits of the City of Mason City.  Willett explained that in essence, the MOU dictates that, should it be the preference of the prospective future developer, neither the City of Clear Lake nor Cerro Gordo County would - Read More Via e-Edition