> In an Aug 31 2010 missive MHS' principal wrote, "The county will not
> construct a project that requires significant maintenance which is why
> they will not entertain the idea of a crushed granite path." However,
> on Sept. 1 2010 Mari Tamburo reported, "Sidewalk repair and
> maintenance is
> the responsibility of the fronting land owner as stipulated in the
> California Streets and Highways Code Section 5610..."
>
> In light of the mandate of Section 5610, any concern by County over
> maintenance would appear to be a non sequitur.
>
> City dwellers in particular might assume that sidewalks are always
> made of concrete, but Section 5610 does not specify what materials are
> to be used in sidewalk construction. Merriam-Webster says sidewalks
> are "usually paved." One may safely infer that they are not always
> paved. And, like Section 5610, Merriam-Webster does not specify any
> particular kinds of "pavement" materials.
>
> Most likely a crushed granite walkway would require more frequent care
> than one made of concrete, but if Evergreen residents are going to be
> forced to maintain a sidewalk they never asked for and don't want, why
> should County care about maintenance costs or the choice of paving
> materials? Why shouldn't that decision be left to those who are going
> to end up holding the bag?
All,
ReplyDeleteA semi-rural environmental friendly pathway can be designed, built and maintained along Evergreen Ave. similar to: Pathways in national parks; Semi-rural urban design award winning rural and semi-rural communities as well as in; European and Asian parks and rural and semi-rural communities.
Without exception worldwide rural and semi-rural pathways follow the following basic design concept dimensions and materials.
1) At grade pathway and parking strip construction resolves existing drainage issues by installing surface swales, drainage piping and catch basins along the length of the roadway and eliminates curbs, ramps and sheet flow drainage issues between paved travel lanes and adjacent properties.
2) 3'-0" high 4" round black steel bollards topped with a sphere placed at 6'-0" on center to constrain vehicles from parking on pathways.
3) Environmental friendly compacted decomposed granite pathways, parking strips and bike ways absorb storm water sheet flow and act to reduce pollutant runoff to Reed Creek and San Francisco Bay.
Note: See the compacted decomposed granite parking spaces at the corner of Melrose and LaVerne which is: Not expensive to maintain; wheelchair friendly and definitely not "dusty" as it is nearly as dense and hard as concrete.)
Conceptual design dimensions and materials, for Evergreen Ave. neighborhood discussion purposes, might be as follows:
1) At grade 5'-0" wide compacted decomposed granite or a 4'-0" colored dark beige asphalt within 5'-0" wide compacted, decomposed granite, pathway strips on both sides of Evergreen Ave. separated by 4" black steel bollards 60-0" o.c;
2) Two 7'-0"compacted decomposed granite parking strips along each side of Evergreen Ave,
3) 4'-0" compacted decomposed granite bike way along the south side of Evergreen Ave.;
4) 22'-0" wide permeable asphalt (to absorb runoff) paved travel surface furnishing two Caltrans minimum width 11'-0" travel lanes.
The above design concept is consistent with: Our Tamalpais Area Community Plan; SR2S/ADA access for the disadvantaged requirements and County ordinance 24.04.460 and 24.04.470.
THE ABOVE EVERGREEN AVE. PATHWAY DESIGN CONCEPT IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY "GREEN"/ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CONCEPT AS ONLY 22'-0" OF EVERGREEN AVE IS PAVED WITH PERMEABLE ASPHALT AN 28' IS PAVED WITH COMPACTED DECOMPOSED GRANITE.
While it may be difficult for Homestead Valley folks to understand County Codes legally we can require the County to comply with County Codes and our Tamalpais Area Community Plan and achieve a semi-rural pathway suitable for pedestrian and bicycles.
So maybe we should consider forming an Evergreen Ave. pathway design committee comprised of one MHS representative and one representative from Melrose-Scott; Scott-Hawthorne; Hawthorne-Linden Lane and; Linden Lane-Ethel Ave. for a total of 5 members.
What say you?
Charles Sands, Architect and Urban Designer
Sandconsult Architects,
12 Madrone Park Circle,
Mill Valley. CA 94941
415-381-6804