West Elm Street property owners between Spring and Bentley will have an information meeting with the Bluffton council streets, lights and alleys committee next week.

The meeting, at 7 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 22, in the third floor of the town hall, will enable the village to share its plans for West Elm Street improvements set for later this year.

Also attending the meeting will be representatives of Choice One, the engineering firm for the project.

Property owners will get an overview of the project and will be able to provide input. The street committee held a discussion on the project on Jan. 24. Then, on Feb. 12, council as a whole met to review the project
Here’s the preliminary project overview:

Sidewalks
• South Side - Sidewalk to be 4-foot wide. Bump outs will be required to meet ADA standards for pedestrian pass through.
• North Side – Sidewalk to be 5-foot wide.
• Under discussion - that the Village consider paying for the extra 1 foot, since current sidewalks being replaced are 4 foot.
Curbs and gutters
• Committee discussed if there would be a willingness from the Village to share the cost.
• Other municipalities like Findlay pay for curbs and gutters, while other municipalities share cost. Per ORC curbs and gutters responsibility of the land owner.
• Council will consider legislation addressing willingness from the village to share the cost and create a policy to help guide future curb and gutter projects.
• There are many areas in town where curbs are in disrepair.
   • Example W. Elm St. – 4,600 feet of Type 2 curb at estimate cost of $20 per foot.
• If village support 50%, $46,000 towards Village expense

The village is preparing financial details to present with a goal to more clearly identify village project cost and resident assessment scenarios.