Unfinished cul-de-sac troubles homeowners

CANFIELD -- Homeowners on Timber Run Drive told city council their street is not safe because it dead-ends without enough room for large vehicles to turn around.
Original plans for Timber Run, which is in the Stonebridge housing development, calls for a cul-de-sac to be built at the end of the street.
City Manager Charles Tieche told council Wednesday that the developer, Stonebridge Land Corp., wants to finish the cul-de-sac, but wants to do so without also having to add sidewalks and curbs to the cul-de-sac.
The developer said as more land is developed for housing in the development, sidewalks and curbs will have to be torn out as the road is extended.
Tieche said the developer wants the city to accept the street for maintenance without the finishing touches of curbs and sidewalks.
But, Tieche said, the city is obligated to accept the streets in the subdivision as they are shown in the original development plan. In the plan, Timber Run and Lake Wobegone Drive end in cul-de-sac. Lake Wobegone's cul-de-sac also was not finished.
Timber Run residents told lawmakers that large vehicles such as school buses, snowplows and garbage trucks don't have enough room to turn around. They back up on lawns and in driveways.
Lynda West, who has two children 5 and 7, said she's concerned about school buses turning around.
"There's 10 small children down there," she said.
Tieche told council that if the city doesn't agree to accept the street, the developer is under no obligation to finish the cul-de-sacs.
Council decided to modify city subdivision regulations so the city can accept the streets without sidewalks and curbs on the cul-de-sacs.
Council President Dennis Wilde said, however, the cul-de-sacs should be paved and wide enough for large vehicles to turn around.
Tieche also said the city should take a cash bond from the developer in case the streets are never extended so Canfield doesn't get stuck with the cost of putting sidewalks and curbs on the cul-de-sacs.