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WORK SESSION AGENDA

CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
TUESDAY
FEBRUARY 27, 2024

COUNCIL CHAMBERS
211 WEST ASPEN AVENUE
3:00 P.M.

All City Council Meetings are live streamed on the city's website (https://www.flagstaff.az.gov/1461/Streaming-City-Council-Meetings)

***PUBLIC COMMENT***

Verbal public comments may be given through a virtual public comment platform or in-person

If you want to provide a verbal comment during the Council Meeting, use the link below to join the virtual public comment room.

VIRTUAL PUBLIC COMMENT WAITING ROOM

Written comments may be submitted to publiccomment@flagstaffaz.gov. All comments submitted via email will be considered written comments and will be documented into the record as such.

Call to Order

NOTICE OF OPTION TO RECESS INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION

Pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.02, notice is hereby given to the members of the City Council and to the general public that, at this work session, the City Council may vote to go into executive session, which will not be open to the public, for discussion and consultation with the City's attorneys for legal advice on any item listed on the following agenda, pursuant to A.R.S. §38-431.03(A)(3).

Roll Call

NOTE: One or more Councilmembers may be in attendance through other technological means.

MAYOR DAGGETT
VICE MAYOR ASLAN
COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS
COUNCILMEMBER HOUSE

COUNCILMEMBER MATTHEWS
COUNCILMEMBER MCCARTHY
COUNCILMEMBER SWEET

Pledge of Allegiance, Mission Statement, and Land Acknowledgement

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the City of Flagstaff is to protect and enhance the quality of life for all.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Flagstaff City Council humbly acknowledges the ancestral homelands of this area's Indigenous nations and original stewards. These lands, still inhabited by Native descendants, border mountains sacred to Indigenous peoples. We honor them, their legacies, their traditions, and their continued contributions. We celebrate their past, present, and future generations who will forever know this place as home.

Public Participation

Public Participation enables the public to address the Council about an item that is not on the prepared agenda. Comments relating to items that are on the agenda will be taken at the time that the item is discussed. Public Participation appears on the agenda twice, at the beginning and at the end. If you wish to address the Council at today's meeting, please complete a comment card and submit it to the recording clerk as soon as possible. Your name will be called when it is your turn to speak. You may address the Council up to three times throughout the meeting, including comments made during Public Participation. Please limit your remarks to three minutes per item to allow everyone an opportunity to speak. At the discretion of the Chair, ten or more persons present at the meeting and wishing to speak may appoint a representative who may have no more than fifteen minutes to speak.

Review of Draft Agenda for the March 5, 2024 City Council Meeting

Citizens wishing to speak on agenda items not specifically called out by the City Council may submit a speaker card for their items of interest to the recording clerk.

City Manager Report

Information Only

2024 Amendments to Engineering Design Standards, TITLE 13

Staff will provide an overview of the proposed amendments to the Engineering Design Standards and ask Council to provide initial feedback on the proposed amendments, concerns with any amendments, and any sections the Council would like to review and discuss in more detail.

Butler Avenue Corridor and Pilot Bicycle Lanes Update

Staff recommends transitioning the separated bicycle lanes to painted double stripes on Butler Avenue and Beaver Street to lessen the financial impacts and staffing requirements on City snow operations, and in anticipation of the future projects including the Safe Streets for All grant project and the Lone Tree Overpass project. Staff also recommends keeping the speed limit on Butler Avenue the same to promote voluntary compliance, encourage uniform flow, clearly communicate reasonable and prudent speeds, and ensure an effective enforcement environment for the Police Department.

Public Participation

10.

Informational Items To/From Mayor, Council, and City Manager; future agenda item requests

11.

Adjournment

CERTIFICATE OF POSTING OF NOTICE

The undersigned hereby certifies that a copy of the foregoing notice was duly posted at Flagstaff City Hall on                      , at                a.m./p.m. in accordance with the statement filed by the City Council with the City Clerk.

Dated this               day of                                       , 2024.

__________________________________________
Stacy Saltzburg, MMC, City Clerk

THE CITY OF FLAGSTAFF ENDEAVORS TO MAKE ALL PUBLIC MEETINGS ACCESSIBLE TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. With 48-hour advance notice, reasonable accommodations will be made upon request for persons with disabilities or non-English speaking residents. Please call the City Clerk (928) 213-2076 or email at stacy.saltzburg@flagstaffaz.gov to request an accommodation to participate in this public meeting.

NOTICE TO PARENTS AND LEGAL GUARDIANS: Parents and legal guardians have the right to consent before the City of Flagstaff makes a video or voice recording of a minor child, pursuant to A.R.S. § 1-602(A)(9). The Flagstaff City Council meetings are live-streamed and recorded and may be viewed on the City of Flagstaff's website. If you permit your child to attend/participate in a televised Council meeting, a recording will be made. You may exercise your right not to consent by not allowing your child to attend/participate in the meeting.

CITY OF FLAGSTAFF

STAFF SUMMARY REPORT

To:

The Honorable Mayor and Council

From:

Stacy Saltzburg, City Clerk

Date:

02/22/2024

Meeting Date:

02/27/2024

TITLE:

City Manager Report

DESIRED OUTCOME:

Information Only

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

These reports will be included in the City Council packet for regularly scheduled Work Session meetings. The reports are intended to be informational, covering miscellaneous events and topics involving the City organization.

INFORMATION:

Attachments:

City Manager Report

Economic Vitality Monthly Report

CITY OF FLAGSTAFF

STAFF SUMMARY REPORT

To:

The Honorable Mayor and Council

From:

David Millis, Development Engineer

Date:

02/20/2024

Meeting Date:

02/27/2024

TITLE:

2024 Amendments to Engineering Design Standards, TITLE 13

DESIRED OUTCOME:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The intent of the Engineering Standards and Specifications is to provide information on minimum acceptable design and construction practices for new infrastructure in the City of Flagstaff. The last update to these standards was made in 2017. Since then, through regular use and enforcement of the standards, Engineering staff have identified some necessary amendments. These amendments have been proposed to correct errors and omissions, incorporate best practices, incorporate new technologies, improve the ease of interpretation of the standards, and provide consistency with other adopted codes and standards.

Proposed Schedule for Discussion and Adoption:
02/27 Work Session: Council will provide initial comments to staff regarding proposed amendments
03/19 Council Meeting: Finalize any discussions and read Ordinance for the first time
04/02 Council Meeting: Read Ordinance by title only for the final time/adopt Ordinance

INFORMATION:

Background/History:
The City of Flagstaff last made major amendments to Title 13 of City Code entitled "Engineering Design Standards and Specification for New Infrastructure" (also referred to as the Engineering Standards) in Ordinance 2017-22. The City also made minor amendments to the Engineering Standards in Ordinance 2020-10.

The proposed and ongoing amendments to the Engineering Standards ensure that the City continues to address and improve public safety. These standards also ensure high performing infrastructure that will improve and reduce maintenance in the future.

The proposed amendments to the Engineering Design Standards are the result of input and review from an internal stakeholder committee, which were then presented to the professional community including, two public open houses, the Business Advocacy Division, the Transportation Commission, the Bicycle Advisory Committee, the Pedestrian Advisory Committee, the Commission on Inclusive and Adaptive Living, and City Council. Comments were solicited at these meetings and through the City's online community forum. The proposed amendments have been available on the City's website for the last month and a half and have been updated based on internal and external comments received, when appropriate.

Upon approval of the proposed amendments, Engineering will begin another regular revision cycle. Staff will include the same stakeholders, and involve key community partners, as we work through the next revision cycle. Staff will bring proposed revisions generated in the future revision cycle proposed revisions to Council in approximately two to three years. Staff anticipate that other code revisions that include amendments to Engineering Standards driven by Council priorities and/or adopted policy may occur prior to the next cycle of regular administrative amendments

Key Considerations:
Below are some of the highlighted amendments made to the Engineering Design Standards:

- Allow cost consideration for Engineering Standards modification requests
- Utility easement restrictions to limit obstruction to maintenance access
- Electronic submittal process
- Scheduling of temporary traffic restrictions and providing public notice
- Allow roll curb in new single-family residential subdivisions with narrow lot widths
- Pedestrian and bicycle facilities updates

See the attachments for the full amendment document along with a summary of all of the amendments made.

Community Benefits and Considerations:
The community benefits economically by providing public infrastructure that is designed and constructed to serve the public in the most efficient way possible. This includes minimizing cost of operation and maintenance. The proposed updates are intended to correct inconsistencies and errors, clarify vague language, address issues with interpretation or implementation, and to ensure that our Code reflects current construction and design practices. They are intended to be cost-neutral overall for developers.

Options and Alternatives:
1. The Council may choose to accept or reject any or all of the proposed amendments.
2. The Council could choose to make different amendments.
3. The Council can postpone adoption of the standards as a public record in order to gather more information or public input.

Attachments:

Presentation

Proposed Amendments

Summary Bullets

Public Comments

CITY OF FLAGSTAFF

STAFF SUMMARY REPORT

To:

The Honorable Mayor and Council

From:

Stephanie Santana, Transportation Engineer Sr. Lead

Co-Submitter:

David Lemcke

Date:

01/04/2024

Meeting Date:

02/27/2024

TITLE:

Butler Avenue Corridor and Pilot Bicycle Lanes Update

DESIRED OUTCOME:

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

During the May 23, 2023 Special Meeting/Work Session, Council tasked Transportation Engineering Staff with conducting a speed limit study along Butler Avenue between Milton Road and Sawmill Road to determine the appropriate speed limit. Council also tasked staff with collaborating with Public Works and the Bicycle Advisory Committee to determine which separated bicycle lane curbs could be removed to improve snow operations. During the same meeting, staff informed Council they had submitted for the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant to redesign the Butler Avenue Corridor pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure (Butler Avenue Complete Streets Conversion).

Staff is prepared to update Council on the Butler Avenue Speed Zone Evaluation, the Pilot Bicycle Lanes, and the awarded grants. The speed limit study along Butler Avenue has been completed and a report and presentation have been created. The results of the study show the existing posted speed limits are the most appropriate because the posted speed limit matches the design speed, which also matches the operating speeds. A reduced speed limit would result in larger speed differentials which have been found to increase the potential for vehicle crashes. The Police Department has also indicated their concerns with enforcement of a lowered speed limit on this particular section of roadway.

Staff transitioned separated bicycle lane curbs to double stripes this summer in collaboration with Public Works, City Council, and the Bicycle Advisory Committee. Staff met with Public Works and have determined the pilot bicycle lanes should be transitioned to double stripes in anticipation of future grant projects and to lessen the financial impacts and staffing requirements on City snow operations.

The City was awarded the SS4A grant for $9.6M (total project cost of $12M) and the Transportation Alternatives grant for $417k. The SS4A grant funds will be used to redesign Butler Avenue to include a multi-use path with a parkway from Milton Road to Sawmill Road, construct a new rapid flashing beacon crossing at O'Leary Street, and upgrade the crossing at Humphreys Street. The Transportation Alternatives grant funds the design of protected intersections at Beaver Street and Butler Avenue and San Francisco Street and Butler Avenue. An additional protected intersection is also being planned at Lone Tree Road and Butler Avenue as part of the Lone Tree Overpass project.

INFORMATION:

Please see the attached Butler Avenue Speed Zone Evaluation study and presentation for more information.

Attachments:

Butler Ave Speed Zone Evaluation

Butler Ave Corridor Update Presentation