Title
Approval of Policy and Specifications For United States Postal Service Cluster Box Units. (City-wide)
Body
Purpose:
Cluster Box Units (CBU’s) are communal mailboxes for multiple properties that include locked mailboxes and often include parcel lockers. The United States Postal Service (USPS) now requires this method of mail delivery to save fuel and reduce carbon emissions from operations because carriers can deliver mail to multiple customers during a single stop with less truck idle time, leading to greener neighborhoods. Chapter 16.23 of Madison General Ordinances ensure that new developments plan for and incorporate these CBU’s when the subdivision is reviewed and constructed, requiring easements or dedicated outlots, along with creating private maintenance conditions. The same Ordinance also requires the CBU’s to be installed and maintained in conformance with Board of Public Works Policies as adopted from time to time.
The following are the Policies for the private installation and maintenance for required USPS Cluster Box Units within the City of Madison:
1. CBU Easements / Owners Agreements
a. A CBU Easement/Owners Agreement involving a Home Owners Association (HOA) shall cite the specific lots served by each CBU. Terms shall be provided addressing installation, maintenance, repair and replacement of the CBU improvements. Also, text shall be included addressing the common ownership of the improvement and what parties are responsible for the Easement and CBU improvements in the instance of the HOA being dissolved or unresponsive.
b. If the Easement/Agreements do not involve an HOA, the documents shall cite the lots served by each easement and associated CBU improvements. Terms shall be provided addressing the responsible parties (including costs) for the installation, maintenance, repair and replacement of the CBU improvements. The owner of a lot benefitted by the Easement/Agreement shall be designated the administrator of the Easement/Agreement.
c. Language shall be provided in all easement/agreement documents that the City of Madison is not responsible for the installation, maintenance or repair of the CBUs, and if the City is required to cure a maintenance situation, the lots served by the CBU are jointly and severally responsible for the costs. If the City is not reimbursed for those costs, the City shall be allowed to use special charges if necessary.
d. Language shall be included that if the USPS requires a change to the lots served by the CBU, the parties to the easement/agreement are required to amend the document(s).
e. The required CBU documents shall be recorded prior to the construction of public improvements serving any lot or outlot in the subdivision or phase thereof. This requirement shall be included in the development agreement for the project. NOTE: The City Engineer shall not issue plans to allow the construction of necessary subdivision improvements until recording occurs and developers are encouraged to plan ahead to avoid delays in beginning construction on the subdivision improvements. In the instance of land divisions that do not require a development agreement, the CBU documents shall be recorded simultaneously with the final approved land division.
f. Proof of a signed mode of delivery agreement, or other similar USPS document shall be provided to the City Engineer prior to recording any CBU documents.
2. Location of CBUs
a. The locations of CBUs shall be coordinated with the USPS Growth Coordinator (or their designee).
b. The final locations of all CBUs shall be approved by City of Madison Traffic Engineering Staff and Engineering Staff.
c. The CBU’s shall be located to serve homes generally within a one block area (meaning both sides of a street for a full block length). Ultimately the location of a CBU shall not exceed a quarter mile from any residence that it serves. A CBU shall generally serve 20 homes.
d. Single large central CBU facilities serving large portions of or an entire development shall not be permitted unless specifically approved by the Common Council.
e. The preferred location of the CBUs is mid-block and avoids intersections and vision corners required by Traffic Engineering.
f. CBUs shall be placed a minimum of 2 feet away from a sidewalk. The concrete pad associated with a CBU may be placed adjacent to a sidewalk.
g. The CBU shall be sited where at least one on-street parking stall is within 50 feet of the CBU. Short term parking may be required in some instances.
h. Nearby public transit should be considered when placing a CBU.
i. CBUs serving new lots or outlots shall be on privately owned lands or within a private easement. CBUs shall not be permitted within any publicly owned or dedicated lands within the City of Madison.
3. Construction Requirements
a. Plans for the CBUs and associated improvements shall be submitted to and reviewed by City of Madison Engineering Staff and may, depending on the nature of the CBU, require additional City zoning and building inspection approval.
b. Only USPS-approved centralized mailbox equipment shall be installed. All installations shall also conform to the requirements of the USPS and the installation requirements of the manufacturer.
c. The area including and adjacent to the CBUs shall be illuminated to a minimum of 0.4 footcandles.
d. The slope of the concrete pad where a person would be located to access the CBU shall be a maximum 2%. If ramping to access the CBU pad is necessary, the maximum slope shall be 5%. Positive drainage shall be achieved so that water cannot pond on any sidewalk surfaces and ice cannot form due to standing water. The area shall drain directly to an American Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant inlet or shall flow away across concrete surfaces. The design cannot allow water to drain from the concrete pad over grass areas because, over time soil builds up at the edges of sidewalks impeding the flow of water and causing water and ice build up.
e. The CBU pad and equipment shall be in compliance with All ADA regulations.
f. A curb ramp for users needing to cross a street shall be provided within 50 feet of the CBU.
g. The developer shall coordinate with the utilities serving the plat for any requirements or conduit needs under or over the CBU improvements when proposed within a public utility easement.