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The purpose of this feasibility report is to give information regarding the paving of the
neighborhood road, in Yakima Washington, consisting of 34th Street, Meadow Lane, and
35th Street, which loops off of Emma Lane. Many people in the neighborhood have
shown an interest in this project and have expressed an interest in knowing this
information. My audience consists of the homeowners of the following addresses:
Address 1
Address 2
Address 3
Address 4
Address 5
Address 6
Address 7
Address 8
Address 9
Address 10
Address 11
Address 12
Address 13
Address 14
Address 15
The problems I encountered in making this report included: difficulty of finding sources,
making sure I had covered as much pertinent information as possible, and finding the
time to put together this report for actual distribution to the neighborhood. My main
difficulty came from my desire for precise information. I wanted to make myself more
aware of the process I was researching, so that I could ask the right questions to get the
necessary answers. As one of the homeowners in this neighborhood, I was curious what
would be needed to make this project work and if there were many others that also
desired this project to go forward. I wanted to know what it would cost and if it would be
a feasible project for our small neighborhood. To get this information there was a lot of
waiting on the final information to polish this report.
The first three pages of this report consist of the Executive Summary, which includes
most of the information for this report. The following Discussion includes the similar
information with more detail.

Improvement in Our Neighborhood

Prepared by Gloria Bishop

Report Distributed July 16, 2014

Prepared for
Neighborhood Homeowners

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Table of Contents
Executive Summary 1
Scope and Methods
Findings 1
Concerns 2
Recommendation 2

Introduction 3
Project Description
3
Rationale and Significance
Discussion

Neighborhood Thoughts 4
Cost
4
Project Benefits 4
Project Implementation 4
Project Details
5
Petition Details 6
Timeline 6
Conclusion

Recommendation

Contact Information 7
Works Cited 8
Project Estimate

RID Instructions

10

Petition Instructions 11-12

Executive Summary
In the spring and summer the dirt road in this little neighborhood puts dust in the air and
dirt on our vehicles and in our homes. Magnesium chloride is sprayed to keep down the
dust, but it is not very effective. The only thing this treatment noticeably does is stick to
vehicles, animals, and anything else it to which it comes in contact.
Scope and Methods
This report is to propose that the neighborhood road should be paved and give evidence
to the feasibility of this project. Research was needed to answer the questions of main
importance. Originally the main questions asked were: what material should be used, how
should it be laid, how much will it cost, and what will the payment options be? Other
questions arose such as, what is the responsibility of the house that is partially on one of
the neighborhood streets, but has a driveway onto another road? Or, how many people
must sign a petition for this project to progress to the next level? These questions, and
others, were all answered by Joe McWalters, who put together the road cost assessment,
and Yakima County Engineer, Gary Ekstedt, P.E.
Findings
Since our road is in the county I looked to the Yakima County Engineers office for
answers. I discovered that those in our neighborhood need to agree to have the road
paved, how we can request the county to pave it, and what the approximate cost will be.
First, the instructions on petitions for road improvement districts given to me by Gary
Ekstedt says, In order for a petition to be sufficient to form a Road Improvement
District, over 50% of the property owners by area and by front footage within the
proposed District must favor the improvements. This means that we do not need
everyone to agree (although it would be ideal), we just need a majority of listed
homeowners to sign the petition. Second, according to the same instructions, we see how
the petition is handled After the petition has been received and checked, the cost of the
improvement will be estimated and the proportion of this cost to be borne by each piece
of property will be determined. A hearing will then be held to determine whether or not
the Road Improvement District, (RID) should be formed. So, once the petition is
submitted there will be a hearing to determine if the District will be formed out of our
neighborhood, for road care services. Finally, the cost of this project was approximated
by Joe McWalters, who came out to our neighborhood and made the following
assessment. The total cost to the homeowners as a group will be $15,176.13. Divided
between the houses, with tax added on, Total cost to each parcel would be $1046.63. The
exception is the property at 3502 Emma Lane, which would pay a half share of $523.31
since that property does not have a driveway onto the road being paved but does gain
from the improvement to the road (Ekstedt). This total amount will be added to the taxes
in 10 annual payments. Or, if anyone desired, the instructions also state, The County
Treasurer will then, again, notify you by advertisement and by mail that the roll is in
his/her hands for collection, and that during the specified period of thirty days you may
pay all or part of your assessment without interest, as you may desire.

Concerns
Some concerns and questions have come up in the process of speaking with homeowners.
One question was whether or not we could have speed bumps installed if we wanted. The
answer is no for several reasons. Gary Eksted explained, Speed bumps on your road will
not be possible for several reasons: a) speed tables (not bumps) are for traffic calming,
and are used on through streets to discourage cut through traffic and reduce speeds. Your
roads dont have those issues. b) they are difficult to maintain, and require special
pavement markings and signs that have to be maintained. And, c) they can only be built if
we use HMA pavement, not BST and this would increase the price dramatically.
Another concern was that as the value of homes rise so too will the property taxes. It was
difficult to get a straight answer to this concern. When I asked this question of Gary
Eksted he replied, No, your County Road property tax will not increase because of the
improvement. However, other market factors in the neighborhood may increase the value
of the properties and the Assessor may increase the assessed value of the properties, but
thats a whole different story.
To summarize what Yakima County Assessor Dave Cook replied, basically he said that
putting in the road would not be likely to increase taxes. What he deals with are property
values. Cook states that . . . there is no way for us to know if there would be any value
change because you paved the road UNTIL after the fact . . . Property values are only
used for the distribution of whatever taxes are set by the districts. He goes on to explain
Those reasons for tax increases are; the Taxing Districts take more moneythe State
Legislature grants more exemptions from Property Tax. and we self-impose more taxes
on ourselves through voted levies (like School District levies)
In summary, my response to this concern is that it doesnt sound like putting in a paved
road really makes a difference in whether we will have increased property taxes or not. It
sounds as though the increase in taxes comes from elsewhere. It also sounds like how
much we are paying for the county to maintain our road as it currently is will not change
with the improvement.
Recommendation
My recommendation is to move forward with the steps to submit this petition as soon as
possible. I believe the sooner this is completed the better off we will be concerning costs
that trend upwards over the years.

Introduction
I began this feasibility report because I had heard a few of the neighbors talking about
how much they would like the road to be paved. While speaking with several of the other
homeowners in the area it became apparent that many had thought of this idea before but
steps to put the project into motion were difficult to ascertain. Finding the interest in
others, as well as myself, I began to look further.
Project Description
The dirt road bordering our neighborhood is something that many of us would like to
change. Having lived in this house for a few years I have observed the complaints that
come from having an unpaved road. The Yakima County applies magnesium chloride
on selected gravel roads (Matt Pietrusiewicz). When our road is bare, it is dusty. The
dust gets on and in vehicles, houses, and other possessions. When the magnesium
chloride is put down it helps to keep the dust down but only for a short time. It also
makes a mess as it attaches to vehicles, shoes, and whatever else it comes into contact
with. As the weather changes the road degrades, potholes form, and the county has to lay
down a new layer to fix it each year. A good solution to decrease the depreciation of
property and to raise curb appeal is to get the road paved. The question of this proposal is
how to get the road paved. What is the process, how much is the cost and how long will it
take to get the project accomplished? Most of the answers to my questions came from
Gary Ekstedt, P.E. from the County Engineering office.
Rationale and Significance
It is obvious to anyone in this neighborhood that a dusty road means a dusty house, a
dusty car, and extra dust and dirt in the home. We each take a certain pride in our homes
and I think the paving of this road will help us to maintain our assets. It is also important
to point out the effect this could have on curb appeal. Bankrate.com says, A good first
appearance on a home can add as much as 5 percent to 10 percent to the value of the
home, says John Aust, president of the National Association of Real Estate Appraisers.
Homes in a neighborhood tend to vary about 10 percent from house to house, assuming
all other things are the same" (Dratch). This is a general statement that applies to
anything that makes a home look better from the street. I think it can be agreed that
having a paved road is something that will increase curb appeal and it will do so in such a
way that no home in the neighborhood is left out of the benefits.
It should also be taken into consideration that Individuals with asthma, other lung
conditions, or heart disease are generally more vulnerable to the effects of dust . . .
(CDC).
I do not know how many people this might affect out of the 15 homes in the
neighborhood but it is something to keep in mind, knowing it will be harder for people
with lung conditions to breathe when the dust is kicked up. I, and several others I have
spoken with, believe that submitting a petition and asking the county to pave our road is a
good way to increase the cleanliness of the neighborhood, and also to increase the values

of our homes, while making the neighborhood more livable for anyone who may have
issues with the dust put in the air from the road.
The remainder of this report is a discussion that goes over the cost and implementation of
this project, a conclusion, and a recommendation.

Discussion
An interest has been expressed in the paving of the neighborhood road that loops off of a
specific Lane. This includes such and such Avenue, such and such other Lane, and the
other Ave. Details on the process of the implementation of this project follow.
Neighborhood Thoughts
I have spoken with more than half of the homeowners in the neighborhood and most of
them have said they are completely on board with this project. Several have said it is
something they have looked into before and just didnt know how to get the project
going. A few homeowners I spoke with were still not sure it was something they would
like to pay for. This report is meant to add to the discussion and help people decide
whether they think it is worth the cost.
Project Benefits
A good first appearance on a home can add as much as 5 percent to 10 percent to the
value of the home. . . (Dratch). We all know how important it is to keep up the
appearance of our home. It is important for when we wish to sell our home and earn some
equity out of the sale that we are able to make our houses look as nice as possible. To
pave this loop would help to keep the insides of our homes cleaner and lower the wear
and tear to indoor property, and it would help to keep outdoor property from becoming
coated in dirt. A paved road, instead of a dirt road, also helps to make our homes look
neater from the moment someone drives up.
Even if you are not seeking to sell your home it is always an improvement to lower the
amount of dirt that gets into and onto things you are trying to keep clean.
Cost
The approximate cost to the homeowners as a group is $15176.13. Divided between the
houses, the entire estimated cost (including financing interest) would be $1,046.63 for
each share. The exception is the property that has a driveway onto another road, which
would pay a half share of $523.31 since that property does not have a driveway onto the
road being paved but does gain from the improvement to the road. The full estimate will
be included at the end of this report on page 9.
Project Implementation
The basic steps to this project include:
Signing a petition
Submitting the petition to Yakima County
Waiting for a hearing and estimate of costs
Construction of the road is completed
A final hearing after construction completion

Notice is given of the account in the County Treasurers office


30 days are given to pay towards full amount of the cost
Payments begin
Other steps and details on these steps can be found on the attached Instructions on page
10 labeled, TO THOSE CIRCULATING AND SIGNING PETITIONS FOR ROAD
IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS:

Project Details
The following subjects detail what process will be used to pave the road and how it is
done.
The estimate included in this project is for BST road material. . . . BST (Bituminous
Surface Treatment, aka chip seal) is appropriate for your road . . . (Gary Ekstedt). BST,
or chip seal, is what the adjoining road is made of.
BST is a surfacing process that is used over a properly
graded rock base. The rock base usually consists of an 8
layer of Crushed Surfacing Base Course, which is a clean
crushed material with a maximum size of 1 inches. Over
that is a 4 thick layer of Crushed Surfacing Top Course
which is the same type of material, but has a maximum size
of 5/8 inch. . . BST is two applications of liquid asphalt
followed by spreading a thin layer of rock chips. The first
layer is applied and allowed to cure for a short time, and
then the second application of asphalt is made, followed by
another spread of chips. Once the asphalt cures the surface
acts as a flexible membrane, while the rock base provided
the structural load carrying capacity (Gary Ekstedt).
Basically, BST is made of the same materials as asphalt but it is laid down in a different
way and not mixed before it is put down. When all of the steps to put down the materials
have been completed, it should only be 1 or 2 hours before traffic can use the road
(Gary Ekstedt). I did not look into the cost of laying asphalt as the cost is much higher, .
. .Chip seal is about 30% to 40% less than what black top costs to get paved (TC Paving
& Seal Coating). According to Gary Ekstedt, this road is estimated to last approximately
20 years once installed and will be maintained by the County as a part of their regular
maintenance.
. . . we would probably do a 3 rd application in 1 or 2
years (as part of our regular maintenance, no additional
cost to the property owners), and then schedule another
seal coat in 7 - 12 years, depending on our pavement
ratings (Gary Ekstedt).
An extra note for clarification: no unpaved driveways will be
paved. Gravel will be put next to the road, on gravel driveways,
to bring them up to the road level.

Petition Details
The following is a summary of the petition instructions, which are attached in a
PDF file. It is necessary to have . . . over 50% of the property owners by area
and by foot frontage within the proposed District [favor] the improvement. Once
this percentage is reached, an estimate will be distributed to all the property
owners as well as a notice of a preliminary hearing. Homeowners have until 5:00
p.m. the day before this hearing to add or remove their names from the petition.
The estimated cost will be presented at this hearing. Submitting this petition and
having it accepted then creates a District out of our neighborhood. Once this
happens, bids for construction are taken, and the lowest bidding contractor is
hired to do the job. Once the road is completed a final hearing where the actual
costs are written up from the original estimate. Notice of this hearing will be sent
to all homeowners. Once the County Treasurer is given the lien against each
property notice is again sent out and each property has the option to pay a portion
or all of the cost that is due on their property, within 30 days. After the 30 days are
up an annual payment is received for 10 years to pay off the balance.

Timeline
When this petition it is submitted we will be put and a schedule with the Yakima
County and will most likely we will have a paved road next summer, (2015) as
Chip Sealing has to be done in the warm summer weather. Everyone in the
neighborhood will receive a written notice in the mail when the date for
construction has been set.

Conclusion

A good way to improve our neighborhood and take care of our property is to
decide to have the road paved.
The material used would be BST (Bituminous Surface Treatment), which is the
same material as the adjoining road.
There is a cost but the benefits are worth it and the longer we wait, the more it is
likely to cost. BST is much less expensive compared to mixed asphalt.
We need more than 50% approval of homeowners and it would be ideal to have
unanimous approval to be fair to everyone.
If desired, all the cost can be paid within 30 days of the County Treasurer taking
over the lien, or payments can be made over 10 years with some interest.
Overall, the benefit of this road seems to be worth the cost.

Recommendation
My recommendation is to move forward with the steps to submit this petition as
soon as possible. I believe the sooner this is completed the better off we will be
concerning costs that trend upwards over the years.
The cost to each home is very reasonable, and with time cost of materials tends to
inflate. We are paying taxes for road maintenance that is not very satisfactory to
many of the homeowners in the neighborhood and the cost of maintenance will
not go up. Although we know there is a chance property values could be raised,
and with them our property taxes, it seems implausible that the road being paved
will actually have much effect on that process. I have heard from several
homeowners is the neighborhood how they would appreciate being rid of the
dusty road.
Based on these facts my recommendation would be to have the road paved. It
seems to be a popular idea and a good decision.
If you have questions or would like to sign the petition please call Gloria
Bishop at my phone number. Or, stop by my address.

Works Cited
CDC. Fact Sheet for Workers in Secondary Response and Other Supporting Roles. 5
September 2005.
Cook, Dave. Interview. Gloria Bishop. 31 March 2014.
Dratch, Dana. 20 things that can alter the value of your home. 9 May 2005.
Ekstedt, Gary. Interview. Gloria Bishop. 18 March 2014.
Gary Ekstedt, P.E. Interview. Gloria Bishop. 27 February 2014.
Matt Pietrusiewicz, P.E. Gravel Road Maintenance Program. Yakima, n.d.
TC Paving & Seal Coating. Tar and Chip Coating. n.d.

RID and Petition Instructions were printed separately from PDF forms and added to this
document during printing.

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