Work Order 16-05 Central Avenue will widen Central Avenue from 32nd Street West to Shiloh Road. City staff has been negotiating with the adjacent owners for the necessary right-of-way.  The needed easement was identified on the design project plans and must be acquired prior to construction.  Billings High School District #2 owns the property north of Central Avenue and west of 36th Street West. The School District has agreed to grant the easement in exchange for the improvements being installed along their Central Avenue frontage.  The easement will be used so that the required stormwater retention can be held in a detention pond on the School District's property.  This allowance saved the project $114,690 in stormwater mitigation infrastructure.  The cost of the School District's improvements along their frontage total $91,575.

City Council may:

• Approve the Stormwater Drainage, Construction, and Maintenance Easement with Billings High School District #2 or;
• Disapprove the easement.  If not approved, an alternative water quality treatment alternative will need to be added to the project.  This alternative will include approximately $114,690 in additional construction costs.

Billings High School District #2 is agreeable to the Stormwater Drainage, Construction, and Maintenance easement. In exchange for the easement, the project will construct the Central Avenue improvements.  The cost estimate for the improvements is $91,575.  The estimated cost for additional stormwater improvements if the detention pond cannot be used is $114,690.

Staff recommends that Council approve and accept the Stormwater Drainage, Construction, and Maintenance Easement with Billings High School District #2.