ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, September 12, 1996 TAG: 9609130050
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: PULASKI
SOURCE: PAUL DELLINGER STAFF WRITER
Curb and gutter may be in the works for residents of Pulaski's South Madison Avenue between Second and Fifth streets in Pulaski.
The town's Public Operations Committee agreed Wednesday to recommend the project to the full council after contacting property owners who would have to pay half the cost of the work.
Town procedures are to have property owners pay half the cost when curb and gutter projects are moved ahead of their regular schedule at the request of the residents involved. When such projects are carried out on the town's schedule, the town pays the entire cost.
One and possibly two residents of that section of Madison Avenue were not interested in participating financially in the curb and guttering, even though it would add value to the property. In one case, the property was being sold.
"Curb and gutter certainly does help your property. People ought to realize," Councilwoman Polly Mitchell said.
Under a recently adopted town ordinance, property owners who do not agree to voluntarily pay their share of the costs can be assessed for it where most other property owners want the work to be done.
Town Council had also gotten a request from some residents of Westwood Drive to consider their street for curb and gutter work.
However, when town officials contacted all the property owners along that street, said Town Engineer John Hawley, "we got zero responses." Even the property owners who had made the original request did not respond, he said.
Because of the lack of interest, the staff recommended deleting the Westwood Drive project from its work schedule for now and the Public Operations Committee agreed.
The committee agreed to recommend acceptance of a lot on Johnson Street by owners who live in another area. The lot is upstream from Peak Creek at Randolph Street on the south side of Johnson Street and would provide access to Peak Creek at a point where none now exists.
"If we could obtain it at no cost, it would definitely be of benefit to my department," said Public Works Director Mike Jenkins. The matter will be referred to Town Attorney Frank Terwilliger to verify legal procedures.
A bank has approached the town about installing an automatic teller machine at the town's Train Station welcome center. More activity at the building is anticipated when the New River Trail is extended to it in the coming year.
Council would have to grant a franchise to a bank to do this, and a zoning variance might be necessary since the Train Station lies in the town's historic district. The matter will be referred to council for further consideration.
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