City Council approves budget for its Capital Improvements Program thru 2018
By Noel Smith – noel@cyber-times.com
The 2013-2014 planned improvements are all fully funded from the following sources: State / Federal Grants $950,000 • Gas Tax 125,000 • Advocates / Private 20,000 • Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Capital Project Funds 558,000 • Development Impact Fees (DIF) 315,000 … Total $1,968,000.
Street Maintenance
The street maintenance program is the third largest expenditure at $225,00. Development Impact Fee funds account for $150,000 of street maintenance funds while $75,000 will be provided by Gas Tax funds.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Capital Improvements
The second largest chunk of the CIP budget goes to the Wastewater Treatment Plant, which amounts to $558,000 all of which is paid for from the Wastewater Capital Reserve.
Sidewalks and Walking Paths
However, the largest amount of money allocated in the coming year’s CIP budget are for two projects in the Sidewalks and Walking Paths portion that add up to a total of $1,100,000. The two projects are estimated at $550,00 each and each involves the area close to Vine Hill Elementary School.
Vine Hill Road/Tabor Dr. Pedestrian and Traffic Improvements
Did you know that there are no sidewalks that front on Vine Hill School on either the west side of Tabor Dr. or the north side of Vine Hill Road from the school to Siltanen Park? When going from the school to the park one must either go through the campus (which for security reasons is not permitted for the public), or cross Vine Hill Road twice; once to the south side of Vine Hill Rd then cross from the sidewalk or the parking lot on the south side to the park entrance.
The project will provide a sidewalk, bike lanes, street widening, curb/gutter, and a storm drain system on the west side of Tabor Dr. and the north side of Vine Hill School Road from the Elementary School, to Siltanen Park – about 1,000 feet of construction in all.
Construction of the “Shugart Park Pathway”
(Al Shugart founded Seagate Technology)
The “Shugart Park Pathway” will provide access from Glenwood Dr. close to Scotts Valley High School, along the north side of the future Shugart Park to the northwest corner of Siltanen Park. The 12’ wide sidewalk/bike lanes path will run east/west from a location near Glenwood Subdivision at one end to Vine Hill Elementary School at the other. It will cross two streambeds each of which will require a bridge.
Construction of both projects will not begin until 2014. The Shugart Pathway probably next spring and the Vine Hill Road/Tabor Dr improvements likely at the end of the 2013/2014 school year.
Scotts Valley Public Works Director, Ken Anderson told us that a portion of Shugart Park, when developed, is planned to be Scotts Valley’s “Dog Park.” It will also have open areas for such activities as playing catch or Frisbee or other non-structured activities.
Our thanks to Scotts Valley Public Works Director, Ken Anderson for his time and patience.
For more information, visit the city council website at www.scottsvalley.org