Agenda

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Item # 4.h.

City Council (FY24)

Meeting Date:	02/27/2024
Department:	Parks & Recreation
Pillars:	Excellence in Transportation Systems
Milestones:	Improve all modes of transportation with infrastructure in an acceptable condition and well maintained

AGENDA CAPTION:

Consider a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute easement and property acquisition documents necessary for Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) to construct Phase 2 of the Cotton Belt Trail in Addison with limits east of Surveyor Blvd. to the Dallas North Tollway for public use in conjunction with the construction of Phase 2 of the Cotton Belt Trail; execute such necessary instruments on behalf of the Town; and providing the effective date.

BACKGROUND:

The Addison portion of The Cotton Belt Trail is a part of the Cotton Belt Trail Corridor that will ultimately provide an active transportation connection between Plano and Fort Worth. Since 2018, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) has been working cooperatively with the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) and respective cities along the Silver Line Corridor on a regional partnership to design and construct the Cotton Belt/Silver Line Rail Trail within the DART owned right-of-way. DART, through significant efforts by The Town of Addison, is fully funded to construct Phase 2 of The Cotton Belt Trail in Addison. The current project schedule is for solicitation of contractors to occur in May 2024 with the award of a construction contract in October 2024.

This project will incorporate City-Wide Trail System Master Plan elements which will require the acquisition of parcels of property along the Cotton Belt Trail which is designed to American Society of Transportation Officials (AASHTO) standards. In this case, specifications require a 12' wide trail with 2' of clear area on each side of the trail. The right-of-way acquisition process to ensure adherence to these specifications, will begin pending approval of this resolution.

An informal professional services contract with Teague Nall and Perkins will provide a scope of work to include easement and right-of-way acquisition that would be required to construct Phase 2 of the Cotton Belt Trail.

The land acquisition process will consist of the following:

Introduction letter and Property Owners notification
Right-of-way surveys
Appraisals
Negotiations
Acceptance
Execution of Documents
Condemnation (if necessary)

This process has been followed for recent Town projects. Staff is requesting that the Council authorize the City Manager to sign the purchase documents for properties where the project will require additional right-of way.

RECOMMENDATION:

Administration recommends approval.

Attachments
Resolution Cotton Belt Trail Property Acquisition
Cotton Belt Property Acquisition Maps