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<br />person or property caused by the negligent failure to abate any nuisance described in this code.” Chapter <br />6 also provides a nuisance abatement process that includes a noticing requirement, a period of time for the <br />nuisance to be dealt with by the property owner, and the steps the City must follow if it wishes to abate a <br />nuisance and bill the property owner. Because of the amount of time required for this process and the <br />lack of staff resources to actively enforce nuisance abatement related to leaves in the street, the Public <br />Works Department traditionally has cleaned up piles of leaves that are blocking bike or motor vehicle <br />travel lanes as soon as possible after a complaint is received. <br /> <br />Operational Enhancements <br />For the past several years, the Public Works Department has deployed additional equipment and staff to <br />clear obstructions in bike lanes. In 2009, the Public Works Department has proposed the following <br />operational enhancements: <br />? <br /> <br />Assign a night shift priority to sweeping and maintaining bike lanes on arterials and collectors. <br />? <br /> <br />Add a senior maintenance worker to the day shift with a major focus on bike lane maintenance. <br />? <br /> <br />Prioritize bike lane leaf pickup based on a list of problem areas reported by bicycle riders/groups. <br />? <br /> <br />Develop a “Leaf Season Priority Bike Lane Route Map” that would identify main corridors on <br />which to concentrate leaf pickup efforts. <br />? <br /> <br />Purchase an additional leaf vacuum at a cost of approximately $25,000 and assign an additional <br />dump truck and a two-person seasonal crew to the leaf pickup program. The additional vacuum <br />equipment would concentrate on leaf pickup on priority bike lane routes. <br />? <br /> <br />Do not promote piling leaves in bike lanes. A diagram that previously had been used to show how <br />to windrow leaves in bike lanes has been removed. Messages from Public Works will include the <br />statement “Please do not pile leaves in bike lanes – it’s not safe!” <br />? <br /> <br />Make it easier for residents, including cyclists, to report leaves in bike lanes. An online “leaf <br />reporter,” similar to the online “pothole reporter,” will be operational by mid-October. <br />? <br /> <br />Create a website where citizens can view a map showing where and when collections crews have <br />been on designated bike routes. This service will help cyclists plan their routes on any given day. <br /> <br />Timing <br />The 2009 program is scheduled to begin in early November. Public Works staff will continue to work <br />with BPAC and other cycling groups to refine the priority bike route map. Prior to the start of the 2009 <br />leaf program, Public Works will prepare and distribute information consistent with the proposed <br />operational enhancements cited above. <br /> <br /> <br />RELATED COUNCIL GOALS AND POLICIES <br />? <br /> <br />The council’s Sustainability Initiative encourages broad sustainable practices. The leaf program <br />promotes sustainability by keeping leaves out of the landfill, delivering leaves to residents and <br />keeping waterways clean and healthy. Operational enhancements will further improve cycling <br />safety, in keeping with the sustainable objectives of alternate modes of transportation. <br />? <br /> <br />Eugene’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Plan seeks to “(r)e-examine and consider making <br />changes to City’s leaf disposal program.” Through community conversations and opportunities <br />such as this council work session, the Public Works Department is constantly re-examining the <br />leaf program and making adaptive management changes such the operational enhancements <br />proposed for 2009. <br /> Z:\CMO\2009 Council Agendas\M090916\S090916B.doc <br /> <br />