There will be no moratorium in Bismarck on the use of cul-de-sacs as a development planning element, though a committee will look at the issue over the next three months in an effort to review their use and design.

At Tuesday's city commission meeting, commissioners backed away from declaring a moratorium in light of opposition coming from developers and assurances from the city planner it wouldn't be necessary.

The city commission has long opposed the use of cul-de-sacs as a design element because of maintenance costs and safety concerns. Last month, the commission appeared ready to put a moratorium in place, but held off to allow developers to discuss the issue.

Dave Patience, representing Swenson Hagen & Company, was provided the opportunity to address a possible moratorium.

"I'm really surprised your board has to discuss this," Patience said. "You have the best experts right now in your planning department, engineering department, fire and inspections department and utilities department. They analyze every design we give them looking for function. The plans are reviewed to make sure they are necessary. It's been that way for years now, it's not new."

Patience said he had dozens of reasons why cul-de-sacs should be allowed, ranging from topographic problems to economics. He provided examples in Bismarck where cul-de-sacs were the only way for a developer to provide residential lots.

One of the arguments against cul-de-sacs are the difficulty they provide for snow storage. Patience said he could provide several designs alleviating these problems.

"Cul-de-sacs are among the most desirable places to live. They supposedly provide the ideal suburb micro-climate-they're a block party waiting to happen," Patience said.

In response to commissioners Dave Jensen and Sandi Tabor on whether the city does have design standards regarding cul-de-sacs, Patience said that there are, such as a maximum length of 600 feet and 40 foot wide standard sections to accommodate emergency vehicles.

Cul-de-sacs further reduce the amount of pavement and utilities needed and allow developers to maximize use of property.

City planner Carl Hokenstad said he did agree there are situations in which cul-de-sacs can be used, adding that the city and Burleigh County have discouraged their use. Hokenstad said he does believe that the ordinances and regulations governing cul-de-sac use should be reviewed by a committee, with recommendations brought to commissioners for consideration.

Commissioner Steve Schwab and Mayor John Warford said they had problems with instituting a moratorium when several developments in the planning stage are incorporating their use for valid reasons.

"Can you get this done without a moratorium?" Warford asked Hokenstad.

"I'm confident we can do it without imposing the moratorium," said the city planner.

Jensen said he feels the use of cul-de-sacs should be done away with entirely, but Warford, Tabor and Schwab said they probably couldn't support that.

Schwab made the motion to give the planning department three months to review the issue providing the city commission with recommendations on cul-de-sac use. The motion passed unanimously.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@;bismarcktribune.com.)