Anyone looking for more frequent updates and if you are on Facebook I encourage you to join the Springdale Community Group. Feel free to tag me in any questions over there too, I try to keep up with it as much as possible.
As for recent meetings, there are two items I wanted to highlight:
- One Way Street Proposal – Heritage Hill
- New Shared Use Path – Kemper and Northland Blvd.
One Way Street Proposal – Heritage Hill
For over a year now City Council’s Rental Program Committee has been looking at impacts on community infrastructure that come from significant increases in the shift on some neighborhoods being rentals instead of owner occupied homes – with a focus on heath and safety. One example – the committee lead the very successful nuisance property ordinance that has helped enforcement of building and home maintenance requirements which ensures remote landlords that frequently do not see the day to day at their properties stay on top of maintenance that affects so many others in the neighborhood.
As the committee moved from property maintenance to traffic and safety concerns raised by the committee members and community we looked at the changing parking and vehicle travel in these same ‘high rental’ areas. There are sections of Heritage Hill where street parking has become increasingly challenging. Making things more challenging – during the review City Administration found that there were several areas on these streets that do not allow the needed sight distance when cars were parked (one the order of ~25 spots).
Rather than just remove the spots Council looked at the alternative of converting some parts of those streets to 1-way traffic – which would preserve the street parking.
Here is where things got interesting – after explaining the issue and proposal there was significant engagement from the residents that live on these streets. This is a great example of how local government listened to concerns, collaborated with experts, held public hearings where many residents shared their views and City Council listened and made changes. With a vote of 1 keeping the original proposal (Mr. Vanover the local district City Council rep) and 6 against changing to 1-way streets the proposal was not enacted – and what an great example of public engagement and local officials listening and changing course to better serve the community!
New Shared Use Path (Engineering) – Kemper and Northland
Several years back Springdale adopted a Bike and Pedestrian Connectivity Plan that would guide the City when significant road projects were undertaken. A major component is the inclusion of multi-use paths when possible, implementing them as these road projects happen.
The incremental costs is lower than if we were to just do “Path” projects. As part of the current Northland Boulevard reconstruction project the City will also work on improvements at the intersection of Northland Boulevard and Kemper Road connecting Lawnview Avenue and Princeton Pike. The City has been awarded funding through the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) through an OKI administered program to offset the cost of the project slated for construction in 2027.
If I can answer any questions just drop me a line or tag me on Facebook in the Springdale Community Group!
What do you think? Let your elected officials know!
email and phone numbers of all your City Council members are online – https://www.springdale.org/city-council/page/meet-your-city-council
and
City Administration as well –
https://www.springdale.org/mayor-clerk-council
or
Connect with your Neighbors –
https://www.facebook.com/groups/333111242219243
Related Links
Past Minutes and Agendas: https://www.springdale.org/meetings/recent
Upcoming meetings: https://www.springdale.org/meetings
Request Public Records: https://www.springdale.org/living-springdale/page/public-records-access