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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSSM032301.~ _;.. - 4 . i' CITY OF CENTRAL POINT City Council-Study Session March 23, 2001 L MEETING CALLED TO ORDER .Mayor Walton called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. II ATTENDEES Mayor: Bill Walton Council Members: David Gilmour, Dick Halley, Kay Harrison, Donna Higginbotham, Dennis Richardson, and Bill Stults were present. " City Administrator Jim Bennett; Public Works Director Bob Pierce; Planning Director Tom Humphrey; and Deputy Recorder Deanna Gregory were also present. III. BUSINESS A. Discussion of the Northerly Extension of Donna Way into the Brookfield. Estates Subdivision CityAdministratorDim Bennett explained that in preparing. information for the Study Session the Staff researched the circumstances underwhich Donna Waywas.originally developed along with the most current proposal to extend Donna Way as part of the Brookfield Estates Subdivision. In the spring of 1966, the area on the North side of W. Pine Street was annexed into the City and subsequently developed as the West Pine Villa Subdivision. This would eventually become a 100-lot single-family residential subdivision creating seven streets. The subdivision was initiallydeveloped with only one access taken from W. Pine Street with two other points from which future access to the subdivision could be taken. Originally Brad Way was designed as a dead-end stub street with a one foot wide reserve strip (or street plug) with the intention of extending the streetwhen the property to the North was developed. The second point from which future access could betaken was the end of Donna Way, it was designed as a bulb at its northern end that could be used for a turn around for emergency vehicles and also had a one foot wide reserve strip (or street plug) at its end. The Flagstone Subdivision was proposed in 1977 as a single family subdivision with 86 tax lots. This development extended Brad Way to Taylor Road, and created three more public streets. When the Flagstone Subdivision was submitted to the City Council for acceptance a petition was submitted to the Council bearing the signatures of approximatelytwenty-five percent of the property owners within the West Pine Villa Subdivision. The petition requested that Brad Way not be extended to Taylor Road because of the added traffic and noise that itwould bring to their subdivision. At that time the Council concluded that it was the intention of the West Pine Villa developer to continue Brad Way to provide access.to the property to the North and the Council approved the final plat for the Flagstone Subdivision extending Brad Way. In 1999, the Brookfield Estates Subdivision was proposed. This would be a 47-lot residential subdivision located between Taylor Road and the West Pine Villa Subdivision. This subdivision was intended to have access from Taylor Road and from the extension of Donna Way. The extension was designed to intersect with Summerlin Drive and then end in a cul-de-sac. With the creation of Summerlin Drive and Silver Creek Drive there would be access onto Taylor Road from Donna Way. At the Planning Commission hearings on the proposed subdivision, testimony was given by property owners within the West Pine Villa Subdivision with concerns over the impact of additional traffic on the neighborhood. The Planning Commission concluded that the extension of Donna Way was appropriate and would improve the connectivity of city streets and the flow of traffic and approved the tentative plan for the subdivision. 1 Physical Description Mr. Bennett explained that Donna W ay has a standard fifty foot street right -of-way with a thirty-six foot paved street width. Each of the street bulbs within the subdivision has a sixty foot radius. All of the streets have street curbs, but there are very few sidewalks within the subdivision. Issues Mr. Bennett stated that the West Pine Villa Subdivision final plat followed the regulations in Ordinance No. 723, regarding subdivisions. 1. The Planning Commission may require streets within a subdivision to be extended to the boundary of the subdivision for future access to the acreage. Reserve strips (or street plugs) may also be required to preserve the ability to extend those streets or future development, such as in the case of the street plugs at the end of Brad Way and Donna Way. 2. Cul-de-sac streets should be as short as possible and in no case longer than 400 feet or serving .more than twelve single-family dwellings. Donna Way is close to 1,700 feet long and-serves forty-foursingle-familydwellings. The reason forthe bulb at the end of Donna Way, instead of a dead-end, was to provide turn around for fire apparatus and ambulances because the end of Donna Way was more than five hundred feet from the next nearest turn around area on Attix Circle. 3. The purpose of the reserve strip is to preserve the ability to extend a street that dead ends at the boundary of a subdivision. These strips are required to be dedicated to the city so that the City can remove them when adjacent property develops and a street is extended. The reserve strip at the end of Donna Way would be removed when the Brookfield Estates Subdivision was constructed and Donna Way was extended. Contradictory to City requirements, the reserve strip at the end of Donna Way was never dedicated to the City. if there is a dispute of the ownership of the reserve strip, and the extension of Donna Way is approved, ORS 281.510 clearly gives the City power to acquire any property needed to extend the street. 4. Citizens have voiced concerns regarding the increase in traffic and noise. The street plan for the Brookfield Estates Subdivision was designed to discourage and minimize cut-through traffic from Taylor Road to W. Pine Street and vice versa. The original design extended Donna Way straight through to Taylor Road. The final design terminated Donna Way in a cul-de-sac requiring traffic to use two additional streets before entering or exiting Donna Way. A Traffic Impact Analysis was prepared for the area and did not show that there would be a large increase in traffic if Brookfield Estates was approved. Mr. Bennett presented the Final Plat of West Pine Villa Subdivision, excerpts from the 1963 Subdivision Ordinance, excerptsfrom NorthwestArea DevelopmentTraffic ImpactAnalysis, and CPMC 10.04.020. Planning Director Tom Humphrey stated that the Central Point Comprehensive Plan was designed to provide information to the Planning Commission regarding where growth should occur and what type of development should be encouraged. This plan was approved by past Council Members in order to help plan the efficient dispersion of traffic. Mr. Humphrey explained that they have worked with local police and fire officials regarding access to Brookfield Estates. Mayor Walton would like to see reports from the Police and Fire Departments regarding the extension of Donna Way and creating an emergency access through Brookfield Estates. Would it be safer to extend Donna Way and have an additional outlet or are there no safety reasons for the extension. Councilmember Gilmour stated that improvements should be made to the existing Donna Way by adding sidewalks. Mayor Walton opened the Study Session for public input. ~. . Robert White. 410 Brad Wav Mr. White stated that he is in favor of the extension of Donna Way and believes that it is important to have an additional outlet on to Taylor Road. Myrl Jacobsen, 211 Donna Wav Mr. Jacobsen stated that he is against the extension of Donna Way. The developer of the West Pine Villa Subdivision did not intend for Donna Way to ever be extended. He stated that he has been taking care of the street plug since he purchased his property at the end of Donna Way. He would not be using the additional access onto Taylor Road. He feels it would take more time to go that direction and will continue to use Rachel Way as an exit from his subdivision. Jim Rose, 204 Donna Wav Mr. Rose presented the Council with a petition from the residents on Donna Way stating that .they are against the extension of Donna Way for the following reasons: 1. the continued safety and livability of those who reside on Donna Way is at risk. 2. people constantly walk with their children and pets along the street because there are no sidewalks. It would be dangerous to encourage more traffic. 3, if the street is opened up into Brookfield Estates, the community spirit that is shared in the neighborhood will disappear. 4. the traffic study that was done is not accurate. Another traffic study should be completed during school days and working hours. 5. there will be added traffic congestion at the stop sign on Donna Way as residents try to turn onto W'. Pine Street. 6. if access to Donna Way by emergency vehicles is an issue, a gate should be installed across Donna Way that can be opened remotely by emergency vehicles. Mr. Rose stated that the community is very close. They have events just for the residents on the 4th of July and at other times through out the year. They know each other well and would hate to see the extension of Donna Way ruin the close knit community. Maxine Cardwell, 10 Donna Wav Ms. Cardwell stated that her parents were the original owners and developers of Donna Way and they did notwant Donna Way opened up. She stated that sheds the owner of the street plug and has never known that it was for an extension of Donna Way. Arlynda Lane, 106 Donna Wav Ms. Lane stated that she has two small children that play in the front yard of her home: She is afraid that with an increase in traffic caused by Brookfield Estates her children will be in danger of getting hit bypassing cars. She is also afraid of losing the close knit community that they now have. Douglas Pulver, Strait Wav Mr. Pulver stated thafi he is a 24 year resident on Strait Way. He explained that he would hate to see more traffic at the Rachel and Pine Street intersection. Charles Harris, Donna Wav Mr. Harris stated that he is a retired firefighter and has talked with the Division Chief at Fire District #3 regarding emergency responses to Donna Way if itwere opened up and if itwere to continue closed. He stated that the Chief said that it would not make a difference either way. He suggested that a fire gate be installed that is activated by the sound of a siren. Cliff Conner-Coash, 30 Attix Circle Stated that he likes living on a cul-de-sac and asked who would benefit from the extension of Donna Way. It would not be the residents who live in the West Pine Villa Subdivision. It would only benefit future residents of Brookfield Estates. He asked why the current residents should be inconveinenced for residents that would not even notice if the road was opened up or not? ,~ Jack Slezak, 207 Donna Wav +- He feels that the traffic study was biased in an attempt to side with the developers. He stated that, during a meeting with Lou Mahar about Brookfield Estates, itwas agreed that a safety gate would be a win/win situation. Wayne Chipman, 205 Donna Way Mr. Chipman stated. that he knew the developer of the West Pine Villa Subdivision and does not believe that he ever intended for that street to go through. Jim Ford. 40 Kathryn Court Mr. Ford stated that, if all the council members drove down Donna Way, they would see that it would not be safe for the children to open the street up to more traffic because the kids have to walk on the street. C.L. Patterson. 350 Brad Wav Mr. Patterson is a 22 year resident on Brad Way. He stated that Donna Way was originally dead ended to address the concerns of the Medford Irrigation District. The District has an irrigation easement that runs across the end of the road. Mayor Walton closed the Public Hearing. Conclusion: The Council. Members thanked the residents for coming to the Study Session and giving testimony on the issue of extending Donna Way. Mayor Walton invited the citizens to return to the next Council Meeting for the decision of the Council regarding the extension of Donna Way into the Brookfield Estates Subdivision. IV. ADJOURNMENT The Study Session for March 23, 2001, was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.