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RESOLUTION ADOPTING SKYWALK CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE EXPECTATIONS, STANDARDS, AND PROCEDURES PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY GRANTED UNDER SECTIONS 44A-12 AND 44A-16 OF THE DULUTH CITY CODE.
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CITY PROPOSAL:
WHEREAS, the skywalk system is comprised of the public, pedestrian passageways within any building or any of the bridges between buildings in the downtown and surrounding area; and
WHEREAS, Section 44A-16 of the Duluth City Code, 1959, as amended, prescribes that the city council may promulgate regulations for minimum maintenance and operations of the skywalk system. The standards may include, but are not limited to, minimum standards for cleaning, painting, patching, washing, waxing, glass repair, ceiling tile repair, lighting, ventilating and heating systems; and
WHEREAS, city staff worked with the Greater Downtown Council, BOMA, Clean and Safe Team and other downtown community members and building owners to develop standards for the minimum maintenance and operations of the skywalk system. The proposed Skywalk Cleaning and Maintenance Expectations, Standards, and Procedures are attached as Exhibit A. Copies of letters of support of the proposed standards from the Greater Downtown Council and BOMA are attached as Exhibit B and C, respectively; and
WHEREAS, Section 44A-12 of the Duluth City Code establishes the procedure to implement a skywalk policy, which procedure includes a public hearing and publication in a daily newspaper of general circulation of the public hearing; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 44A-12(b) of the Duluth City Code, the Duluth News Tribune published a notice of hearing on July 1, 2016. Said notice of hearing is attached as Exhibit D; and
WHEREAS, in addition to the published notice of hearing, the city’s property and facilities manager mailed a letter to the individual property owners within the skywalk system to notify each property owner about the proposed standards and to welcome all questions, concerns, and comments about the proposed skywalk minimum maintenance and operations standards; and
WHEREAS, because the proper procedures were followed to implement the skywalk minimum maintenance and operations standards, the Duluth city council can now hold a public hearing on the proposed standards.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Duluth City Council hereby adopts the Skywalk Cleaning and Maintenance Expectations, Standards, and Procedures attached as Exhibit A as the minimum skywalk maintenance and operating standards pursuant to the authority granted under Sections 44A-12 and 44A-16 of the Duluth City Code, 1959, as amended.
Statement of Purpose
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE: This resolution adopts the minimum maintenance and operations of the skywalk system under the authority prescribed in Sections 44A-12 and 44A-16 of the Duluth City Code.
City staff meets monthly with the Skywalk Committee, which is comprised of members from the Greater Downtown Council, BOMA, Clean and Safe Team, and other downtown building owners, to discuss skywalk issues and concerns. Over the course of several meetings spanning nearly 18 months, the proposed standards were developed to enforce skywalk cleaning and maintenance expectations, standards, and procedures against all property owners within the skywalk system.