Cochran Engineering, which is doing the planning and engineering work on behalf of McBride Homes, requested that an approved phase one plat of the Village at Silo Ridge project be revised during the Oct. 6 Cuba Board of Aldermen meeting.

Archer-Elgin Engineer Cameron Schweiss, the city’s engineering firm, is facilitating communication between the city, its public works departments and the McBride Homes team to ensure the project aligns with the city’s needs and preferences throughout its development phases.

“So they had an error on their original plan that had some verbiage related to homeowners’ association (HOA) perpetual maintenance requirements,” Schweiss said.

He said that Mayor Pitts Lesesne had raised some concerns about road maintenance responsibilities while the phases were under construction. The presented affidavit said that the developer is responsible for the streets until it is entirely constructed, the city sees the test reports and it is determined that the quality is up to the city’s standards. The city is under no obligation to accept a roadway until it’s ready.

An affidavit is used to provide a sworn statement or evidence in legal matters and is used to affirm facts or clarify issues legally. City Attorney Emily Guffey said that it has been reviewed and aligns with the development agreement that was already approved.

Christian Miller, director of engineering, land development for McBride Homes, said that the city will still need to inspect the streets for acceptance.

“They’ll do that for the city code, do all the inspections, do a punch list, we’ll make those corrections to the street and then acceptance,” Miller said.

Street Supervisor Allen Monda said he was concerned about the road sizes, especially for road maintenance during the winter months.

With parking on both sides of the street, there is only about an eight-foot clearance, but the city’s plow is 10 feet wide.

“I don’t know about the HOAs, I don’t know all the ins and outs, but if we could just put an emergency snow route to where, if it snows, they have to go somewhere off the street,” Monda said.

Lesesne said that they will need to discuss that with the HOAs to create a process to solve the snow plowing issue.

A motion to accept the affidavit as presented was approved with a 5-1 vote. Ward 3 Alderman Jeff Bouse voted against it because he disagrees with the roads being concrete.

Schweiss presented a grant application for possibly improving the wastewater treatment plant. The grant would provide $50,000 from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) with a 20 percent match from the city.

“First off, this allows you to look at the wastewater treatment plant and look at some long-term plans for both expansion and also just replacement of some of the equipment that’s aging out there,” Schweiss said. “It also allows you to have an approved facility plan through DNA that’ll allow you to pursue future funding in the form of low-interest loans and grants and things.”

A motion to accept Bill No. 2237, which was a resolution that authorized the filing of an application with DNA for an engineering services grant, was approved with a 6-0 vote. It became Resolution 10-06.

Schweiss said that there were a few electric and natural gas lines that veered outside of the easements that were previously platted in phase one, so they worked with the developer’s surveyor to get additional easements.

The board was presented with documentation of where the utilities are to make sure the city always has access to them.

Lesesne addressed a concern about parking space sizes because he had parked his truck in one of the spots and was partially sticking out into the road.

Miller said that the parking spots were a standard size of 18 feet, and suggested trying to back into the spot instead. Lesesne was worried about those who would live at the Village at Silo Ridge because many probably won’t take the time to back into spots and won’t check to see if their bumper is overhanging into the roadway.

The issue will be looked into.

A motion to accept the natural gas and electric easements documentation was approved with a 6-0 vote.

A motion to accept the overall final development plans for the Village at Silo Ridge project as presented was approved by a 6-0 vote.

In other business, Bill No. 2241, which authorizes the mayor to enter into an agreement with Utility Safety & Design, Inc. (USDI) for the drug and alcohol testing program, was approved by a 6-0 vote and became Special Ordinance 979.