Staff recommends Council approve the resolution and permit authorizing construction and maintenance of a pedestrian skyway at 1201 North Broadway. 

Intermountain Health is constructing a new hospital at 1201 North Broadway.  With the construction of the hospital, Intermountain Health desires to construct a pedestrian skyway connecting the new hospital to the existing Yellowstone Medical Center, also owned by Intermountain Health.   The skyway will be constructed over North Broadway.  Per Billings, Montana City Code, Section 6-900, in order to construct the skyway, it is necessary for City Council to approve a resolution authorizing and permitting construction and maintenance.  This permit outlines the requirements for the pedestrian skyway.  The skyway does not meet the requirement for height, which is outlined to be 14 feet maximum due to the grade difference between the existing Yellowstone Medical Center and the new hospital.  The pedestrian skyway is proposed to be about 16 feet in height on one side of North Broadway to about 17 feet in height on the other side of North Broadway.  The height is necessary to match the Yellowstone Medical Center floor elevation with the new hospital while minimizing impact to the right-of-way.  This structural height still meets the spirit and intent of the code.  In addition, the structure meets the minimum clear space required from the roadway centerline to the bottom of the structure (17 feet minimum per code, 26 feet clear space provided).  The structural support piers are located outside the public right-of-way.  Attached are plans for the pedestrian skyway, resolution, and the permit.

City Council may:

• Approve the resolution and permit for the pedestrian skyway, or;
• Disapprove the resolution and permit.  If not approved, the owners will not be allowed to construct the pedestrian skyway.

There is no significant financial impact to the City for approval of the resolution and permit.  The building owner is responsible for on-going maintenance.