16.A.
City Council Meeting - FINAL
- Meeting Date:
- 04/15/2014
- From:
- Karl Eberhard, Comm Design & Redevelopment Mgr
Information
TITLE
Discussion: Direction to Staff regarding the Fourth Street Corridor Master Plan
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
None - Discussion Only. Review, discuss, and clarify as needed the direction provided to staff at the January 23, 2014 City Council mini-budget retreat.
INFORMATION
The January 23, 2014 mini budget retreat presentation provided context for certain City Council finance-driven budget discussions with no inquiry to the City Council for decisions regarding the findings from the study, its conclusions, or its disposition. This report summarizes the retreat discussion.
PROJECT HISTORY:
Staff provided an overview of the Fourth Street Corridor Master Plan, summarized in time line format as follows:
CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION:
The Council heard the presentation and appreciated the need for a policy discussion, notably as it related to the proposed design solution for the northern part of Fourth Street. At the same time, the Council remained concerned about the immediate need for increased pedestrian safety, and recognized that there were portions of the plan that work whether or not the solution for the northern portion is implemented and that thus appeared agreeable to all concerned. While funding for improvements will be a discussion at the upcoming City Council Budget Retreat, the January 23rd discussion included funding considerations as follows:
The City Council provided two items of direction for staff:
PROJECT HISTORY:
Staff provided an overview of the Fourth Street Corridor Master Plan, summarized in time line format as follows:
- 2009: At the request of the City Council through the FY09 budget process, Community Design and Redevelopment staff initiated a design study of Fourth Street from Route 66 to Cedar Avenue. A Consultant team, lead by Otak Inc., was selected and the contract approved by the City Council in April of 2009.
- 2010: The City Council reviewed initial stakeholder input and several conceptual design schemes, and provided further direction in February of 2010. In response to staff review comments, in July additional traffic study work was added to the contract and additional public outreach work was also added due to the extended time frame. The final report was provided to City staff in November of 2010.
- 2011-2013: Potential traffic impacts of the proposal were evaluated by staff, including additional traffic modeling by the consultant, the Flagstaff Metropolitan Planning Organization (FMPO), and by an independent (third) traffic engineer.
- 2013-Present: So as not to be confused with business improvement district formation efforts on the east side, the report has not been presented to the City Council in the intervening time (since February 2013).
SCOPE OF WORK:
The initial scope of work sought by the City Council included the goals of pedestrian safety and comfort, traffic issues, urban design and beautification, multi-modal transportation, and redevelopment of the public realm. The scope of work also included extensive community involvement and cost information and recommendations. Broad community outreach confirmed this scope of work - that Fourth Street should be "a place to be."
STUDY FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
The initial scope of work sought by the City Council included the goals of pedestrian safety and comfort, traffic issues, urban design and beautification, multi-modal transportation, and redevelopment of the public realm. The scope of work also included extensive community involvement and cost information and recommendations. Broad community outreach confirmed this scope of work - that Fourth Street should be "a place to be."
STUDY FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Traffic Improvements: Align intersections; add turn lanes and traffic lights; combine driveways along the corridor; and differentiate the shared turn lane.
-
Pedestrian Improvements: Add additional pedestrian crossings; add sidewalks and landscaping along the edges; and enhance the shared turn lane paving.
- For the portion north of Seventh Avenue, north of the Cal Ranch store, the study proposes removing a driving lane in each direction and to placing the edge improvements within the existing right-of-way.
- For the portion south of Sixth Avenue, the study proposes the acquisition of right-of-way in order to add edge improvements.
The solution proposed for the northern portion, removing driving lanes, is of concern to certain stakeholders. Understanding the costs and benefits of this choice warrants a special City Council discussion, of some length, so that traffic impacts, design qualities, and costs can be fully considered. Staff believes that the study suggests a fundamental policy question: Is Fourth Street "a place to be" first and an arterial road second, or, is it an arterial road first and "a place to be" second? Between these two priorities, the resulting character of this commercial district is quite different and the desired improvements are quite different.
CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION:
The Council heard the presentation and appreciated the need for a policy discussion, notably as it related to the proposed design solution for the northern part of Fourth Street. At the same time, the Council remained concerned about the immediate need for increased pedestrian safety, and recognized that there were portions of the plan that work whether or not the solution for the northern portion is implemented and that thus appeared agreeable to all concerned. While funding for improvements will be a discussion at the upcoming City Council Budget Retreat, the January 23rd discussion included funding considerations as follows:
- The Beautification and Public Art Commission has recommended an allocation each year and the City Council has adopted budgets such that there is $1.5M of BBB - Beautification funds available ("saved up") for this work.
- $500,000 in Transportation Tax funding is currently available.
- For land acquisitions associated with the intersection re-alignments, additional funding would be necessary.
The City Council provided two items of direction for staff:
- In current work program, implement the following portions of the Master Plan:
- Pedestrian crossings (possibly with median refuges).
- Edge improvements south of Sixth Street.
- Enhanced shared turn lane paving.
- The realignment of Cedar Avenue and Lockett Road.
- The realignment of Seventh and Sixth Streets
Notably, these items make up a significant work plan to implement. And, the funding that the City Council discussed would be sufficient to accomplish much of this work.
- Schedule a public hearing for the City Council to consider the Fourth Street Corridor Master Plan, budgetary implications, and the ultimate role of the study in the future planning of this area. The overall master plan, its conclusions, and its disposition (adoption, rejection, or alternative direction) remain the subject of a future City Council discussion.
CURRENT CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERATION
This item is before the City Council to provide an opportunity to review, discuss, and clarify as needed the direction provided to staff at the January 23, 2014 City Council Mini-budget Retreat. It also allows an opportunity for citizens who are interested and have recently spoken before the City Council to understand what specific elements of the Fourth Street Corridor Master Plan are moving forward at this time (Summarized above under CITY COUNCIL DIRECTION for the CURRENT WORK PROGRAM).
This item is before the City Council to provide an opportunity to review, discuss, and clarify as needed the direction provided to staff at the January 23, 2014 City Council Mini-budget Retreat. It also allows an opportunity for citizens who are interested and have recently spoken before the City Council to understand what specific elements of the Fourth Street Corridor Master Plan are moving forward at this time (Summarized above under CITY COUNCIL DIRECTION for the CURRENT WORK PROGRAM).