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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/02/1997 Work Session . MINUTES OF THE WORK SESSION MEETING OF THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1997 The city of Springfield council met in work session in the Jesse Maine Room, 225 Fifth Street, Springfield, Oregon, on Tuesday, September 2, 1997, at 6:00 p.m., with Mayor Morrisette presiding. ATTENDANCE Present were Mayor Morrisette, Councilors Ballew, Beyer, Burge, Dahlquist, and Shaver. Councilor Maine was absent (excused). Also present were City Manager Michael Kelly, Assistant City Manager Gino Grimaldi, City Attorney Joe Leahy, City Recorder Julie Wilson and members of the staff. 1. The council was provided a memorandum from Administrative Aide Shari Higgins, providing a status report on the recruitment's for board, committee and commission vacancies. Council had no questions regarding the memo. 2. Draft Mohawk Boulevard Specific Development Plan. . Senior Management Analyst Cynthia Pappas presented the staff report on this issue. This work session is an opportunity to update the council on progress to date on the draft Mohawk Boulevard Specific Development Plan and briefly discuss the citizen involvement process conducted in conjunction with development of the plan. At its August 19, 1997 work session and public hearing, the Planning Commission determined they wanted additional review time and input directly from the Mohawk Citizen Advisory Committee. The Commissioners requested a joint work session with the Mohawk Citizen Advisory Committee. That work session has been scheduled for September 3, 1997. This work session will provide an opportunity for Council comment on the draft plan. In November 1996, the city received a Transportation Growth Management grant through the joint program of the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Department of Land Conservation and Development. A Citizen Advisory Committee (CAe) was formed, comprised of neighbors, business and property owners in the study area, as well as a Planning Commission ex-officio and a council ex-officio member. The CAC met for eight months to develop the draft plan. Two public work sessions were conducted, with over 75 neighbors in attendance. The Mohawk Boulevard Specific Development Plan is intended to facilitate development of a vibrant, mixed-use area along Mohawk Boulevard. The study area is bounded by E Street to the south, the Eugene-Springfield Highway to the north, 21 st Street to the east, and 12th Street and Willamalane Park to the west. The plan emphasizes pedestrian design, to link the hospital, churches and Willamalane Park with existing retail centers on both sides of the Mohawk Boulevard corridor. . .Work Session Meeting Minutes September 2, 1997 Page 2 . The plan can be implemented through a combination of public improvements and regulatory changes. Public improvement projects that contribute to the character of the Mohawk Boulevard corridor can help spur private reinvestment efforts. Ms. Pappas introduced committee members Pat Walsh, Lyle Hatfield and Don Lutes. Ms. Pappas reviewed four diagrams posted on the wall and answered questions from council and discussed the parking area around the hospital. She discussed minimum versus maximum parking regulations, along with the option of a shared facility for the hospital and a nearby church. Councilor Burge discussed long term land use planning. He discussed methodology and underlying motives of those designing the plan. He complemented those that have worked on the plan. He discussed the need for flexibility. He did not see where the plan was set in stone and it did provide for opportunity. He said there were traffic issues that existed but was very complementary on the efforts put into the plan. Mayor Morrisette discussed pedestrian lighting. He also discussed two-story buildings that allow living quarters above the business. He discussed design standards. He also discussed parks and the need for Willamalane to be involved if park issues arise. . Ms. Pappas discussed the street overlay project, turning and curb radius for buses. She also clarified that no additional right-of-way existed from G Street South to Main. Ms. Pappas discussed existing and fill-in trees. 3. Update on Jasper Road Extension Project. Management Analyst Eileen Stein and Transportation Manager Brian Barnett presented the staff report on this issue. The Jasper Road Extension Stakeholders Committee is in the process of discussing alignment and design options for the Jasper Road Extension project and seeks council input on the street design for the portion of the project within the city limits. On February 18, 1997, the council received a briefing on this project and was informed of the creation of a Stakeholder's Advisory Committee to guide the alignment and design process. The Committee is at the point of making recommendations on alignment and design options and is seeking council input on the street design for the urban portion of the project extending south from Main Street to Mt. Vernon Road. The staff report outlines the various design issues associated with this section of the project. Staff recommends the construction of a four lane facility built to urban standards in this section of the project. However, within this context, design options are available due to the width of the available right-of-way. . Total funding committed to the Jasper Road Extension project is $3.6 million, including $2.4 million in the County CIP and $1.2 million in the draft Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP). This project is expected to be classified as a regional facility, . Work Session Meeting Minutes September 2, 1997 Page 3 . meaning the county's assessment policy would not apply. County funding is predicated on an at-grade 2-3 lane arterial built to city standards in the current city limits and a 2-lane road south ofMt. Vernon Road to the project terminus (Jasper Road). It does not include costs for noise attenuation items (soundwall or earthen berm), grade separation of the Union Pacific's main line at the terminus, a median parkway strip, or the reconstruction of local streets at the intersection of Daisy and 58th. Since the final design isn't known, its difficult to tell whether the project is adequately funded at this point. Ms. Stein discussed right-of-way issues and opportunities to look at width, bike lanes and reconfiguration of streets. The urban portion was discussed further. Staff requested input on the design. Staff recommended the section of the Jasper Road Extension project from Main Street to Mt. Vernon Road be constructed as a four-lane urban arterial, incorporating some kind of median treatment. However, staff recommends council direction for staff to examine the full range of design issues and to report back to council at a future work session. . Councilor Burge asked if any of this was predicated on the future development of the Natron site. Councilor Beyer discussed this issue and said there were still questions regarding access, although, the County would decide on how to build the road at this site. Councilor Burge raised the issue of railroad crossing and extension of significant infrastructure in the area. He also discussed the East Main interceptor. Councilor Beyer discussed the need to address traffic on 42nd Street. Councilor Burge discussed ODOT commitment to 42nd Street improvements. This discussion occurred during an MPC meeting. Councilor Shaver said it was felt that it would not only help 42nd Street but also Main Street traffic issues. Councilor Shaver discussed the urban section and suggested it constructed as if it were a continuation of the Eugene/Springfield Highway or 1-105, including a median separation and two lanes in each direction. He said the route should be decided in a way that would accommodate a grade separation crossing. He clarified his intent and said it should be a true two lane separation, shoulder, raised median, grassy knoll, something between the two separate traffic lanes. He assumed it would be for high volume, encouraging use of it rather than 42nd Street. He suggested development that would reflect what is on the other side of Main Street. Councilor Ballew discussed the desire to make it a nice boulevard. Mr. Barnett discussed the need to identify highway or arterial, identify anticipated traffic volumes, bicycle lanes desired, different uses and parallel connections. Council discussed the need for sidewalks and right-of-way issues and said the long range plan was important. Mr. Barnett explained that ODOT was clear that this project was not an alternate route to Highway 58. Councilor Burge raised the importance of the benefit versus the cost. . . . . .. ". . _ Work Session Meeting Minutes September 2, 1997 Page 4 Councilor Shaver said he did not hear opposition median strips or two lanes, full width development within the city limits. He said the level of improvement related to curb, gutter, sidewalks and bicycle lanes needed to be identified. Councilor Shaver and Burge would like to discuss their concerns personally with Mr. Barnett. Councilor Burge said he did not feel comfortable providing staff with direction at this time. He said there were many unanswered questions. Lane County Representative Ollie Snowden discussed timelines for the project. He said staff would like a general sense of what council would like. This information would be forwarded to see if Lane County was funding the project, most likely, they would make the ultimate decision. Councilor Shaver discussed the need to look prior to development. He said if this was a major thoroughfare, it should be designed similar to Highway 105 or Eugene/Springfield Highway. Mr. Barnett said the intent was not to have driveway access at all. He said it would be strictly limited to local street access and in about one-quarter to one-half mile increments. He said this was a "high type facility" but not a highway. Councilor Shaver said he thought in 20 years there would be a need for a highway. Council only provided consensus on direction for a full four-lane development median strip and the need to identify the level, if any, of curb, gutters, sidewalks, bicycle paths or something that would mirror the Eugene/Springfield Highway. Councilor Burge raised the question regarding the timeliness of the project and discussed the Natron site. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned at 7:10 p.m. Minutes Recorder - Julie Wilson ~f12~ Mayor Attest: <-