HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-08-21 Public Services Com. MinutesDublin City Council Public Services Committee
Thursday, April 8, 2021 – 4:00 p.m.
Virtual meeting
Meeting Minutes
Chair Jane Fox called the April 8, 2021 Public Services Committee meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.
Meeting Attendees
Committee Members: Ms. Fox, Vice Mayor De Rosa and Mr. Reiner
Staff Members: Mr. Rogers, Mr. Earman, Ms. Rauch, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Hammersmith, Mr.
Taylor, Ms. Noble, Mr. Brown, Ms. Renzetti, Mr. Plouck
Consultants: Jamie Greene, Principal, Logan Stang, Planner, planningNEXT, 75 West Third
Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43201
Update – Public Services Division
Jay Anderson provided an update on the Public Services Division, a newly formed division as a
result of the recent City reorganization. The reorganization combined the services of Street
Maintenance, Solid Waste, Parks Maintenance, Horticulture and Forestry services under one
operation and coordination of services umbrella. He provided a brief update on the division’s
2020 - 2021 operations, including metrics used to evaluate the services.
Average Days for Completion of Service Requests
In 2020, the average days to complete the following service requests was: Parks – total of 880
requests, an average of 20.4 days to complete; Solid Waste – total of 443 requests, an average
of 7.5 days to complete; Streets, a total of 5,601 requests, an average of 2.06 days to complete.
The number of days reflected in Parks is due to the nature of many of the requests, which were
related to Code Enforcement or Nature Education. That process is currently being evaluated, in
order to improve efficiency. For Street Sweeping, the City contracts the service for five full
sweeps per year, and in 2020, 175 tons of street debris were collected.
Streets Department - Snow and Ice Services
There have been only 12 snow events to date. Tons of salt used – 5,754. The costs of the
services include: Equipment -$301,877.50; Labor - $259,651.76; Materials - $249,091.30. Total
2020-2021 Streets snow and ice season costs: $810,620.56.
Chipper Service
In 2020, the division’s Chipping Program received 5,600 requests. Much of the increase could be
attributed to the impact of COVID and more residents working from home, who had the
opportunity to get outside and conduct yard work. A total of 653.40 tons of product was
collected. The goal is to perform the service 1-7 days from the time of request.
Vice De Rosa inquired what is done with the chipped materials.
Mr. Anderson responded that the chipped materials are left in the yard, and the City’s contractor
comes by later and loads/removes the materials, which are taken to their plants where it is
recycled into mulch.
Solid Waste
2018 total diversion including yard waste - 49.20%; 2019 total diversion including yard waste -
50.1%; 2020 total diversion including yard waste - 51.74%. The goal is a 55% or above
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diversion rate. The 2020 total diversion rate includes municipal solid waste, recycling, paper
shredding, e-waste, food scrap collection, chipping and leaf collection.
Parks Department - Maintenance / Snow Removal
To date, 53 different work types have been completed with 10,713.97 total hours. The pandemic
increased the volume of outdoor park use. Use of the shelter houses dropped by 50%. The total
miles of snow removal the Parks Department is responsible for with each snow event is 53.81
miles, which includes: bikepaths - 31.726 miles; parking lots - 6.76 miles; private streets
(Coffman Park Drive) - 1.07 miles; City sidewalks - 14.25 miles.
Mr. Reiner inquired the total bikepath miles in the City.
Mr. Brown stated that the entire system is approximately 144 miles; the actual paths are
approximately 120 miles. This includes pedestrian crossings and connectors.
Mr. Reiner inquired if most of the bikepath and sidewalk snow removal is occurring primarily in
the urban core of the City.
Mr. Anderson responded that much of it is in Historic Dublin and the Bridge Street District. It also
includes the ingress/egress to schools. The areas for which they are responsible for snow and
ice removal include:
All City buildings sidewalks and parking lots
Historic Dublin City-owned property frontage and City parking lots within the District
John Shields Parkway and Riverside Drive (park side)
Bike paths with ingress and egress to Dublin City Schools and one Hilliard City School
Bike paths in select parks for recreational usage
All sidewalks that border City property
Ms. Fox inquired if at some point in the future, it would be possible to clear all City bikepaths
year round.
Mr. Anderson responded that it would not be possible with the current equipment and staff. It
may be possible at some point in the future. The Parks Department’s costs for the same 12 snow
events this winter include: Equipment - $62,119.65; Labor - $84,042.57; Materials - $21,514.11;
for a total cost this season of $167,676.33. The combined cost of snow/ice removal for Streets
and Parks was approximately $978,000. Snow events over 6 inches significantly increase the
workload. In these events, bikepath and park areas are placed on a lower priority, and City roads
and certain City buildings become the primary focus.
Park Planting
The intent is to improve and enhance the natural environment within our parks and open spaces.
This past year, the horticulture staff planted the following: “Native” Trees - 57%; Shrubs - 64%;
Perennials - 16%, with the goal of improving the overall bio-diversity within the City’s park
system.
Forestry Division
This spring, our Forestry staff will be planting 246 street trees, a combination of new and
replacement trees. They will also continue to experiment with bare root trees, with which the City
has had a good degree of success. Although smaller than B&B (balled and burlapped) trees, they
are less expensive, quicker to plant, and potentially may have a better growth potential. This is
the 34th year of the City receiving the Tree City USA recognition; 7th year of a growth award from
the organization; and the second year of recognition from Tree Cities of the World, planting
32,034 street trees YTD. The Community Forestry Program has an annual budget of
approximately $2 per capita.
Mr. Reiner inquired how much of the planting in the intersections and downtown is performed by
contractual services; how much does City staff handle?
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Mr. Anderson responded that it is performed entirely under a right-of-way maintenance contract.
Mr. Reiner inquired if the City designs the landscaping, which is quite attractive, within the
roundabouts.
Mr. Anderson responded that much of it is designed by City staff.
Mr. Reiner stated that the City was laid out with the concept of having landscape screening at the
backs of houses to provide green street corridors within the City. Many of the trees, which were
installed when the subdivisions were built, are now aged and in need of replacement. There was
previous Council discussion about a cyclical tree replacement schedule. Has staff begun to work
on a master plan for such a program?
Mr. Anderson responded that Mr. Earman and Mr. Krawetzki are developing the program. There
are easements along Muirfield Drive that must be secured so that the City can perform plantings.
Mr. Reiner stated that the issue is City-wide. All of the early rezonings that mandated screening
elements for the subdivisions now have landscaping either in need of maintenance or
replacement.
Vice Mayor De Rosa inquired about the cleaning of downed trees within parks. Is there a rotation
schedule for park cleaning?
Mr. Anderson responded that this type of work is being prioritized moving forward. The
underlying intent is to focus first on protection and preservation of our best woodlots and then
proceed to the wooded areas of less quality. It will require some contractual labor.
Vice Mayor De Rosa suggested that going forward, metrics be provided on that program. She
understands there would be a cost involved with that type of program.
Mr. Reiner stated that in the past there was discussion regarding continuity of street tree types
and planting designs on a street. The intent is that is that the same tree species be used on a
street, while on a different street, another species may be planted.
Mr. Anderson confirmed that is the practice.
Vice Mayor De Rosa stated that she lives within an established neighborhood, and the trees are
becoming aged. Although the street trees may be handled appropriately, the residents are in
need of guidance regarding tree replacement on their properties. Are any City classes available
to residents, perhaps virtual?
Mr. Anderson responded that previously, City staff worked with local HOAs to provide classes;
however, that was pre-Covid19. Staff would be happy to resume some classes.
Vice Mayor De Rosa recommended virtual meetings, which could include planting information and
recommendations to which residents could refer on an ongoing basis. Because attendance is not
necessary, the classes could receive wider use and be very beneficial.
Mr. Reiner stated that earlier today, he was contacted by a Dublin School student expressing an
interest in forming a Student Environmental Advisory Committee for grades 7 – 12. She was
seeking guidance. He advised her to present her idea to City Council, who in turn, could involve
staff in a response. It was nice to see that type of interest resuming.
Mr. Anderson responded that staff is seeing an increased interest in the natural environment
from students, as well. At this time of the year, it is often due to a school project.
Mr. Reiner noted that any potential student advisory committee would require mentoring.
Dublin 2035 Framework Plan
Ms. Rauch stated that City Council committees have begun their theme work on the Dublin 2035
Framework Plan, focusing on developing visionary ideas for their assigned theme (Quality of Life,
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Infrastructure, Land Use and Economics). The 2035 Framework Plan will provide guidance for
future policy decisions and as the Community Plan is subsequently updated to be in alignment,
and with future CIPs and community collaborative projects. In addition to the two preliminary
Council workshops that have occurred, the timeline for the process involves three milestones. As
the first milestone, each of Council’s committees are meeting to identify “big ideas” to consider
when developing the 2035 Framework. Background materials were provided to help committee
members and assigned staff members prepare for this discussion. Participants were asked to
review the materials and complete the workbook. A list of starter ideas has been provided for
reference, based on previous discussions and input from Council and staff. The outcome of the
first meeting for each committee is to begin to outline their ideas. With milestone 2, the big ideas
will be further discussed, identifying what research and information is needed to develop those
ideas. For milestone 3, the visionary ideas will be refined and prioritized. Finally, the 2035
Framework Plan will be provided to City Council for adoption, which will advance it to
implementation.
Ms. Rauch introduced consultants Jamie Greene and Logan Stang, planningNEXT, to facilitate the
discussion. The theme of the Public Services Committee’s discussion is “Infrastructure.” Some
infrastructure elements include parking, communication, mobility, transportation, utilities,
Connected Dublin and Smart City. Some ideas that have already been mentioned in previous
discussions include: provide high-speed fiber to every home; construct a mixed-use Hyperloop
station; ensure every resident has access to car-free transportation; connect all public spaces
with internet access.
Jamie Green stated that big ideas might reach into other theme areas, so after the initial
meetings of the four committees, the ideas will be evaluated to see which ones may overlap.
Those ideas will then be discussed by Council at their May work session. If participants have
videos or photos that would be helpful in conveying their “big ideas,” they may forward them to
be included in the database of ideas. He invited meeting participants to share their ideas.
o Mr. Anderson stated that his idea relates to mobility, which is to provide designated
bicycle and pedestrian lanes protected by curbing. Ms. Fox also touched on this idea in an earlier
discussion.
Mr. Green inquired about the anticipated geography of implementation – would it be limited to a
specific corridor?
Mr. Anderson responded that his thought was that it would be as many of the City’s primary
roads as feasible. He recognizes that there would be a significant cost involved with
implementation.
Mr. Green noted that at this point, feasibility studies are not being conducted; ideas are intended
to be visionary only.
o Mr. Reiner stated that his idea and concerns continue to be related to the environment,
and specifically, retaining the overall appearance of the City. In the past, the City invested much
effort and money in the City’s greenways. He would like to see long-term plans and budgeting for
a cyclical planting program within the City that will achieve/preserve the City’s green appearance.
Planning staff should ensure that future rezonings of subdivisions utilize earth berming for
screening subdivisions.
o Mr. Taylor indicated that his idea, which relates to his area of work -- asset planning, is
to have drones laser/LiDAR scanning of City assets. Artificial intelligence also could be used to
predict/forecast conditions to avoid potential disintegration issues before there is a failure.
Mr. Green stated that would be an area of developing technology.
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o Mr. Hammersmith stated that his idea centers around mobility. Although there has been
past discussion on transportation possibilities, autonomous circulators are becoming more viable.
This is a very vibrant community, particularly Bridge Park. It would be beneficial to provide some
level of circulation within the community without the use of private vehicles. A small mass transit
option, smaller than a bus, which might hold 10-12 individuals, could provide inter-city circulation
during business hours, in particular.
o Mr. Earman stated that his idea relates to connectivity of the City’s workspaces and
meeting spaces. Some spaces may be outdoors, some spaces involve individuals, while others
involve groups or clusters of people. In addition, with remote working and autonomous vehicles,
what occurs when all of the office spaces and parking lots are no longer needed? How would
those parcels and assets be repurposed? Some of these changes may not be that far in the
future.
o Ms. Renzetti stated that her idea relates to use of AI for predictive purposes. Rather than
predictive for assets, as was suggested by Mr. Taylor, it could be used to be predictive of
residents’ needs. For instance, if a resident used chipper service this year, they could be
automatically contacted next year. If a resident purchased tickets to a particular City event, they
could receive notifications of other similar events.
o Ms. Fox stated that she would like to share two ideas.
1. Connectivity: This idea comes from the City of Tel Aviv, which utilizes a City Resident
Card. Every resident fills out a card identifying their needs, and AI is used to connect them to
those services. Through the City Resident Card, all-inclusive information related to those services
is available to residents.
Mr. Rogers noted that the City’s new I.T. Director, who will begin employment the first of May,
has previously worked at a London University that utilized an I.D. card to connect students to
needed information and services. The City will be gaining an employee with experience in multi-
functional, multi-use I.D. cards.
Mr. Taylor noted that the idea dovetails with block-chain technology, which ensures security.
Ms. Fox stated that the City has so many diverse services, and it would be helpful to facilitate
residents’ use of those of interest to them.
2. Mobility: because of the City’s ongoing autonomous vehicle efforts, a high-speed multi-
modal mobility terminal would be an asset. [Image shown of a flying U.A.M.] One such device is
currently in use in the City of Hilliard. A potential site for a high-speed terminal might be on the
west side of the City, where a future Hyperloop connection will exist. It would incorporate an
Amtrak high-speed train, the Hyperloop, UAMs (urban air mobility), and autonomous vehicles
that can be robocalled. These type of terminals currently are being built in Europe to
accommodate a variety of high-speed transportation. A terminal on the west side of the City
could connect to the City’s pedestrian and bicycle pathways. From the terminal, an individual
could take a high-speed train to Chicago, or take a scooter or e-bike and complete the last mile
within the City – it is a complete trip.
o Vice Mayor De Rosa stated that the City needs to re-think its definition of infrastructure
for the City. Historically, it has been roads, bridges and bikepaths, but there is a need to include
another type of connectivity, such as fiber. Under the President’s transportation plan, funding
priority will be given to municipalities to provide connectivity for their residents. In addition, there
is embedded technology solutions for streets that could promote the safety of City residents. The
City’s CIP considers a variety of infrastructure opportunities. The suggestion for City resident
cards might actually be a partnering opportunity, rather than a City service. Often, people prefer
apps to cards, and there might be an existing customer service platform for sharing access to
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community services, avoiding the need to create our own platform. Another forward-looking
infrastructure idea was that the City could set a goal of having perhaps 50% of its vehicles be
electric by year 2035.
o Ms. Noble stated that in line with her interest in planning and animals, her idea is a
wildlife crossing bridge. Not only are they a great amenity for a community, but they provide a
safety opportunity for wildlife. Many vehicle-wildlife accidents could be avoided.
o Mr. Brown suggested that the City incorporate a live-learn lab as a testing environment
for new ideas for the community, such as vertical farming. Another idea is to heat City streets
and bikepaths, so that snow clearing is not necessary. This would involve using City
infrastructure to generate energy, which would facilitate a future goal of becoming carbon-
neutral. The City has a large amount of infrastructure that could be utilized for energy purposes,
such as commercial buildings. Technologies are being developed that can be invisible and part of
the environment. For example, pigments are being tested that are structured with solar cells, and
it could be possible to harvest energy from LiDAR testing of the City’s infrastructure.
o Ms. Rauch stated that her idea also relates to mobility, specifically, that the City should
consider ways in which to integrate mobility throughout City neighborhoods. Perhaps it could be
a hub that is adjacent to several neighborhoods.
o Mr. Reiner stated that he would like the City to look for any future opportunities for
pedestrian-oriented developments. The Bridge Street Corridor has become a model for other
cities of successful walkable developments. It may be possible to develop such a concept
elsewhere in the City.
o Mr. Rogers stated that his idea was that the City look at ways in which to become a self-
sustainable city. In view of future automated vehicles within the community, there will be a need
to generate power. For example, brick pavers can have the ability of generating power. Such
opportunities could be integrated into the City’s infrastructure, ultimately, making the City more
self-sustaining.
Mr. Green stated that as the group looks at these ideas, it is important to look at the future
generation that will be enjoying and benefiting from the ideas.
o Ms. Fox stated that two strong terms are being used – connectivity and mobility. The
pandemic has made it clear to our youth how important social connections are. Humans cannot
live without social connections. The City needs not only to identify ways to move people to where
they want to go, but to also make sure that destination and the trip to the destination has
connectivity. Doing so will create a strong and resilient community. As Mr. Reiner has often
stated, there is one thing Europe has done well through the ages – creating places that have
great social connectivity. As we design our community greenways, mobility and new urban
spaces, it is important to create gathering places where people feel connected to the public
realm. A master design is needed to create movement and social connectivity along the way and
at the destination.
Mr. Reiner stated that people need other people. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, technology
made it possible to isolate people. It is important to look for ideas that will also encourage social
connections.
o Vice Mayor De Rosa stated that in looking at our younger generations, we see that
technology and social interaction co-exist nicely. Our youth would not give up their phones,
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through which they are staying connected to people throughout the nation and the world. They
are more connected; they have a greater friend network because of technology. It was the
pandemic that isolated people; it was not the technology. The technology has been liberating to
our youth. She agrees it is important to consider future ideas the younger generations will desire.
However, we may not be entirely aware of what would benefit them, so it would be helpful to
actively seek out that information.
Mr. Green stated that when this discussion proceeds to public engagement, staff would need to
intentionally include that demographic, although they are sometimes reluctant to engage in this
type of discussion.
Vice Mayor De Rosa suggested that a different tactic be used. Rather than inviting them to sit
around a table for discussion, use technology – send them an image(s) and request their
preference. They will engage, but maybe not in the traditional manner.
Mr. Green responded that perhaps we could find a small number of youth to help us calibrate the
right approach.
o Ms. Fox stated that she has forwarded a video from The Moment Factory.com, a
European technology company providing technological opportunities for bringing people within a
community together. Technology can be used to encourage interaction with art, social interaction
within spaces, to enhance or highlight buildings or features within a city, and to create digital
experiences within a park or natural environment. It can be both a quality of life and
infrastructure idea. [Video shown of a night walk in a park.]
Mr. Earman stated that Events staff has been looking at this type of technology for perhaps
replacing fireworks. It is environmentally cleaner and safer.
Mr. Reiner referred to a community within France, where at a certain time, a presentation of the
city’s history is shown against a tall building façade. It is a community opportunity that is well
attended.
Mr. Brown stated that it would be good to remember one of our guiding principles is to be
people-centered/people first. In terms of scale – to what scale would we building those types of
experiences? Suburbs do not build for interactive social experiences; they are designed for
vehicles and speed; however, perhaps there could be a transition space in which movement is
slowed, and people can “notice” their environment and connect with it and each other.
Mr. Green encouraged meeting participants to forward any pictures, videos, etc. to staff to
include with the database of ideas. At Council’s May work session, the big ideas will be shown.
Mr. Stang is compiling a list of ideas, and, to date, approximately 20 ideas have been proposed.
Ms. Fox requested that the list of ideas be forwarded to Council members.
Vice Mayor De Rosa stated that for future discussion, it would be helpful to have images
suggesting how those ideas might be implemented within Dublin.
Mr. Reiner suggested that there is a need for the City’s Planning & Zoning to emphasize the
direction for developers not to propose developments with linear streets, but with pods that can
create a sense of community within that neighborhood. The vision of creating neighborhoods that
foster social interactions must be instilled in our Planning & Zoning staff.
There being no further business to come before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at
5:55 p.m.
Judith K. Beal
Assistant Clerk of Council
