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No problems expected for site of new town hall
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - February 25, 2010)
No problems expected for site of new town hall
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Munson Township Trustees got reassurances last week that its building site for a new town hall will be problem-free if certain precautions are taken.
Trustees met in special session with architects and soil engineers to review additional soil borings taken just to the north of the original building site. The intent was to see if the area to the north of the proposed building site offered more stable soils than originally were found.
John E. Dingeldein, a senior principle with EDP Consultants Inc., of Kirtland, said the additional borings taken 50 and 100 feet north of the original site failed to provide any type of advantage. He said the most recent borings showed the same types of soils as earlier borings.
"There is no real advantage to moving north from where it is proposed now," Mr. Dingeldein said.
He said sand pockets, which permit water infiltration, exist between the clay surface and glacial till lower layers.
He said the township would be required to use the same type of construction no matter whether the township builds on the original site or moves it to the north. He said shifting the site to the north could result in the need for more excavation work.
Construction should not be "overly difficult" as long as the township addresses the water issues at the beginning, he said.
"There should be no issues with the long-term performance of the building," Mr. Dingeldein said.
He said there would be no post-construction settlement once the issues are addressed, nor should there be issues with water coming through walls or floors.
"During construction is when water is a concern," he said.
Mr. Dingeldein also told trustees the soil types found at the building site, which is at the northwest corner of Sherman and Auburn roads, is typical for the area. He said the Chagrin River drainage area produces these types of soils, but construction has been done for years without problems.
Trustee Todd Ray said he sought the assurances because much of the public has the perception that trustees are building a new town hall on a "swamp" or that water will be shooting like a fountain from the area.
He said trustees want to assure the public that the project has been "reasonably, responsibly, well-planned and thoroughly investigated."
Mr. Dingeldein said everyone can be assured that the site is "perfectly safe to build on" as long as drainage issues have been addressed at the start. He said a builder who digs too deeply when planning the foundation, could encounter one of the sand pockets and end up in "quicksand."
David Leber, of Leber Brown Architects, of Cleveland, architects on the project, said bidding for the project will require the township to likely take the low bidder and there is no way of knowing whether that company is familiar with working with these types of soils.
Richard Brown, another partner in the firm, said the soils can be addressed with the various bidders even before a contract is awarded.
He said if a bid comes in suspiciously low, that bidder could be questioned to ensure that they understand the soils they will be dealing with. "We can ask, 'Have you read the soils report and did you understand it?'" he said.
He said those types of questions can be addressed while the township still is evaluating the bids.
Mr. Ray asked whether soil condition will require any "exceptional technology" or experimental technology will be required because of the soils.
Mr. Dingeldein said the soils should not require anything but standard technology. He said it will be up to the contractor to deal with the "de-watering" of the site.
He said that trustees could insist that all prospective contractors appear at special meeting to discuss the soils. Mandatory attendance, he said, can be required and failure to do so can be used as a reason to reject a bid.
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