No Rouse Trail
Petition to Temporarily Postpone the South Rouse Walking Trail
First and foremost, let it be abundantly clear that the purpose of this Petition is NOT to permanently halt all progress towards the development of a safe pedestrian route for the Pittsburg neighborhoods located South of Centennial, off Rouse St. The citizens in favor of this petition are very aware of the current safety hazards on South Rouse St.
Purpose of Petition:
The intent of this petition is to temporarily place the South Rouse Walking Trail on hold due to serious concerns with the current “Petition”. It is widely believed that further work must be preformed to:
Ensure the affected residents’ property rights are protected to the fullest extent. Many resident have currently requested the document be reviewed by an independent legal counsel advocating on behalf of the “Citizens of the Improvement District”
Ensure the affected residents completely comprehend the project expectations and their respected contractual obligations. The current “Petition” is extremely vague, yet is considered by the City of Pittsburg as a “legally binding” document.
Develop a thorough, well documented, and widely publicized strategy that ensures a safe pedestrian system that successfully addresses the following summary of concerns
Summary of Concerns:
The current document is labeled a “Petition” and is being promoted to the Citizens of the Improvement District as a “Non-binding document”. Troy Graham, Assistant Public Works director made the following statement at January 30, 2014 at 9:41am on the Pittsburg Residents for a South Rouse Walking Trail Facebook group “Yes, if presented and accepted by the Commission, we receive the funding from KDOT, and we move ahead with the project. At that point then it would become legally binding.”
The current project cost does not appear to reflect actual contractor bids, but instead seems to reflect more of a roughly estimated project cost
The current petition does not clearly reflect the maximum financial obligation each resident will be responsible for ($400,000 match = $1,521 per lot owner / $300,000 match = $1,141 per lot owner, not including interest if financed)
The current petition does not contain any language regarding the 10 year tax assessment payment option mentioned in previous meetings and the Pittsburg Morning Sun
The current petition does not contain any language regarding the interest percentage rate that would be charged to residents choosing the 10 year tax assessment payment option
The current document does not contain sufficient language pertaining to the course of action if the project were to go over budget, and subsequently what party would be held accountable for the financial balance needed to complete the project
There has not been a study to reflect the potential devaluation of property to the residences located on Rouse St. This study should not only take into consideration the lot located on the west (trail side), but also on the lots located on the east side. This is due to the fact that 100% of the future widening of Rouse St. would take place on the east side. Many residents on Rouse St. believe the close proximity of the street and the trail would make the properties on Rouse St. less desirable on a large scale, thus reducing the marketability and subsequent value by 10’s of thousands of dollars per property.
The current document does not state projected beginning and completion dates
The current document does not reflect what party will be responsible for the maintenance and repair of the proposed trail
The current documents does not contain specific technical data regarding treatment of obstructions to the proposed path of the trail including, but not limited to sump pumps, fire hydrants, buried utilities, trees and landscaping, driveways, ornamental objects, and utility poles. Example: Does the project cost allow for the replacement of citizen property that will be destroyed in the process of construction?
There is no mention of a water study being conducted to determine the effect this project will have on ground water flow and drainage during heavy rainfall. This is a concern because the improvement district in question currently has problems with proper water drainage during heavy rainfall.
Let it also be known:
As it stands, the current proposal cites that a substantial portion of the financial obligation of this project rests on the shoulders of the neighborhoods immediately surrounding the trail, yet the trail will be open to all residents of Pittsburg. There is serious concern that this project may set a precedence regarding the City of Pittsburg’s responsibility to proactively address issues of public safety and its obligation to accept financial responsibility for such projects in the future. It is also of serious concern that future financial burdens related to Pittsburg recreational areas may solely rest on the citizens surrounding the park in question, instead of the entire city.
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