Friday, September 22, 2006

Rocks on right of way spark debate

City eyes plan to reclaim roadsides


By REBECCA MEANY
Express Staff Writer

Ketchum City Council members got a glimpse into their constituents' opinions this week when they initiated a process of reclaiming city rights of way.

Resident Randy Wilkins was called before the board on Monday, Sept. 18, to explain why he placed large rocks near his property on a city right of way—publicly owned land, often a strip between a yard and a public street.

Wilkins said the rocks served to keep his sprinkler heads safe. He also noted that hundreds of Ketchum residents, including two council members, had put items in the rights of way adjacent to their properties.

"I'm going to move my rocks," he said. But, "I want to be treated equally amongst all property owners in Ketchum."

Councilman Ron Parsons said it was unrealistic to expect the city to go out immediately and reclaim every patch of right of way.

"We don't have time to look at 98 properties," he said. "Let's come up with a reasonable compromise. Work with us."

Councilman Steven Shafran said Wilkins' case got to the council because it rose to a level of public safety, unlike other right-of-way infringements.

Assistant Chief of Police Mike McNeil spoke on behalf of Street Superintendent Brian Christiansen, citing traffic safety and Street Department equipment concerns. He suggested that the rocks could damage city snowblowers.

"They are a safety issue," McNeil said. "They are literally on the edge of the roadway. It's a sight visibility issue. Even if he moves them back to the edge of the grass way ... they can cause damage to the auger and blower plates."

And there's a problem from parking, he added, "because people are parking in the lane of traffic, not in the right of way."

The City Council and Mayor Randy Hall have been discussing reclaiming rights of way in many areas of town, particularly along Warm Springs Road and in the downtown core.

During a work retreat last month, in which they set forth a long to-do list, they identified goals of creating an inventory of city rights of way in the commercial core and implementing a right-of-way policy for new construction.




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