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ST9302-CS 940809The C~ty W~th A Beautiful Future August 9, 1994 m ~' B3x 478 CoDDe;, Texas 2:4 462-0022 Donna and Jeff Irizarry 720 Robin Coppell, Texas 75019 Re: Sandy Lake Road ST 93-02 Dear Mr. and Mrs. Irizarry: While reading the Citizens Advocate recently, I noticed a letter in which you questioned why the City has not been more proactive in addressing some of the street needs. In particular, you referenced Sandy Lake Road and Beltline Road. Because of the interest you have shown via the letter to the editor, this letter is written to bring you up to date on both projects. On June 22, 1993, the City of Coppell awarded a design contract to Rady and Associates to design Sandy Lake Road from MacArthur Blvd. to Denton Tap Road. This project will include the construction of the two inside driving lanes plus some additional wider paving on the outside lane to allow for the interaction of vehicles and bicycles. Also as part of the project, the City will be providing a very in depth irrigation and landscape plan along Sandy Lake Road. The City of Coppell has held four public meetings with the citizens adjacent to Sandy Lake Road concerning this project. Typically, between 150 and 200 notices are sent out to residents who live in the general vicinity of Sandy Lake Road and businesses adjacent to Sandy Lake Road notifying them of the public meetings. The public meetings are also advertised on the government access channel for the City of Coppell. We have had very good turn out at the public meetings and are currently through the process of designing the preliminary plans for Sandy Lake Road. Those plans should be presented to the City Council at the August 23rd City Council meeting. After Council approves the preliminary plans, the consultant will be authorized to proceed with the final design plans. There are still several obstacles to overcome such as right-of-way acquisition and the relocation of utilities. As you may be aware, on the south side of Sandy Lake is a major Texas Utilities transmission line. Also, the City of Dallas has a 30" water line in Sandy Lake Road that supplies water to Flower Mound. Approximately 5000 feet of that water line needs to be lowered with this project. Lone Star Gas also has a major gas line crossing at Moore Road that FOBWABDED TO MAYOB AND cOUNCIL DATE: ,.till need to be lower. Assuming that all right-of-wa.x can be acquired and all utilities can be relocated, it is the City's intent to a,xard this contract in the fall of 1995 for construction The time for construction will be approximately 18 to 24 months. In conjunction with ~his project, in 1993 Dallas Count> awarded a contract to S~erdrup Corporation to design Sandy Lake Road from MacArthur Blvd. to the east tit> limits. Also. Dallas County awarded contracts to design the bridge over the Elm Fork of the Trinity River and to design Sandy Lake Road from the Elm Fork past 1-35 in Carrollton. I am not sure of the time table for the last two projects, but the County's portion of Sandy Lake in Coppell is on a similar timetable as the City's portion of Sandy Lake Road i.e.. it is the County's intention to award a contract for the construction in the fall of 1995. There is also utility relocation and right-of-way acquisition on that project. Dallas County will be paying for the majority of the construction cost for that portion of Sandy Lake Road. I have also recently been in contact with Dallas County about the portion of Beltline Road from basically Denton Tap to MacArthur Blvd. For several years there have been questions about the future alignment of that section of Beltline Road. However, those issues have recently been resolved by the City of Coppell and to my understanding Dallas County has awarded a design contract for that portion of Beltline Road. I am sorry to say I do not know the timetable for that section of Beltline Road because its ultimate construction hinges on the construction cost of Sandy Lake Road that the County is currently designing. In the last County bond sale, Dallas County sold funds to construct Sandy Lake/Beltline Road. Their philosophy at this point is to design and award the contract for Sandy Lake Road and then determine how much funds are left and whether they are adequate to construct Beltline Road. If there are adequate funds, it is my belief that Beltline Road could be constructed in the next three to five years. If funds are inadequate, Dallas Coumy has indicated that they would look to savings on other projects in Dallas County to see if funds could be reallocated for Beltline Road. I hope this information has addressed your concerns about Sandy Lake Road and Beltline Road. I will be happy to meet with you to discuss the project and review the plans in greater detail. If you have any questions please call me at 393-1016. Sincerely. Kenneth M. Griffin, P.E. Assistant City Manager/City Engineer cc: Jim Witt, City Manager file/kgri ffin/720robin.ltr ,~f th~ be<t psrk ]and i> n~, )on,er i~ allab/~ ab*~ut the make up of the Corp,~ra "good old boys" s~'stem I can assure you that the City Councd. and. c~ty management is honest and ethical, and ~1 remain t~t way as long as the citizens of Coppell stay revolved. The Counca ~ ap~mt the seven ~ard members of the Corporation. Of these seven, no more than four can ~ City Council members (although it is not a re- qu~ement t~t any ~d mem~rs be Council ~embers). The City Council ~ ad~ the Co.ration, but cannot direct its day-to-day ~aWs. To me ~ ~eatest c~enge ~ ~ to pro~e for ~e n~ds of ~ mcreasm~y ~ver~ co~ty ~ t~ ~mew~t ~t~ ~s a~b~ to the Co~. As the o~r of a re~ business m Cop~, I Mve ~ns~r~ ~e effect of ~ ~ ~ ! we~o~ it. My bus.ss Ms ~ avem~ "~ket" of a~ut $70, ~ of ~ ~est h C~. ~ ~s ~t my t~ custo~r ~ ~y a~ly 70 cents ~re for a ~cM~. Cust~- ers ~ co~ for ove~ q~ty of ~ce ~ pine to v~ue. Re.rs wo~d ~er ~t ~ sub~ to ~ ~rea~ ~ks ~, but t~y ~ ~rs~d ~t it is a s~ p~e to ~y for ~e pfi~ of M~g C~- ~ ci~ens as c~ntel. I'0 REFINANCE I,OANS ,o properly appraisal or re qualifying rnimlhly paymem by $08 on a $9(),1X~ Brai ch Ma.ager of South Central 'vlorlgage "It can all ~ done by mail :an call Mitchell Skidmore 187-8~25 Jeffrey Ball ~s news e~itor of tho McKin- ney Messenger Letters the nust,se of pubhc funds As Capezzuto stated, manl, gotxt pro- lects would benefit from sales tax revenues. I encourage everyone to vote yes to this tax. Cynthia Tov,'ell Coppell We should look for private funds To the Editor: Since when did a sales tax in- crease "hold down" or reduce local property taxes? Coppell residents should vote no on the proposed half- percent sales tax increase. While many of the proposed prOjects are worthwhile, those dtizens with their special projects should seek funding from private donations. City and school taxes are already nomic upturn, our city leaders should be working to reduce our loc- al property taxes and pay off our city's bond debt more quickly. This would enable our city to face the next downturn in a more stable financial condition, and the tax- payers and city employees won't feel the crunch as bad. The City with a Beautiful Future will still happen -- just a little more financially sound. J. Gregory Winchester Coppell From 4A Coppell in need of more business To the Editor: We haxe been residents m Cop- bell since 1983. We are for unprove- ments to the city of Coppell which includes parks, pool, btking trails. etc. However ~t would appear that we should take some of our tax dol- lars/which by the way have already been approved in prior years) and improve Sandy Lake Road and Belt Line Road which are absolutely atro- cious (Sandy Lake Road in pamcular is a death trap). Tax dollars have previously been allocated for these improvements to our city but results have yet to be seen. None of the mprovements such as a pool, biking trails, parks, etc. will be worth hav- ing if they are not accessible and they won't be via Sandy Lake Road. Coppell needs to prioritize its needs and it would appear that safety on our major roads should be our priority, not pools, parks, etc. ff we are to continue to grow at an accep[- able rate, then accessibility for both homeowners and businesses is a m~t. Businesses in particular are .very critical so that we may increase our tax base. Attracting more businesses in Coppell should be our priority and in return we would have enough money to put.t~ack into the community without rinsing the sales tax and~or property tax. I Donna and Jeff Irizat~y Coppell · Consultation 2110 S. Stemmons Near Toys R Us