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Minutes for the Master Street Plan Committee meeting on August 14, 2014
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Members present: Jim Abel, Josh Brown, Marvin Day, Eugene Holloway, Chairman Ben Owens, Bill Smith, Councilman John Street, Garry Tate
Members absent: Mike Cameron, Ann Garner, Paul Hoelecher, Robin Nix, Sr.
Mr. Tate motioned, seconded by Mr. Day, to approve the minutes. All voted aye.
Discussion was held concerning bicycle facilities.
Parks Director Wixson Huffstetler explained the City has a Master Street Plan for bicycle paths, and it is very important for the City to have this for the quality of life. The next path will be built at Craighead Forest Park and will be a 12 foot wide asphalt path for walking and biking around the park.
Mr. Marvin Day questioned if there are particular corridors along the streets that can be used for right-of-way preservation. Mr. Huffstetler answered the plan was put together in 2009 and the major one that needs to be done is from Joe Mack Campbell Park down Dan Avenue.
Mr. Eugene Holloway told the group the Arkansas Highway Transportation Department has initiated a statewide Bicycling and Pedestrian Transportation Plan. He noted this plan is already in effect, but is being updated. He then asked if that is the same plan this committee is discussing. Assistant MPO Director Travis Brooks answered that is a different plan. Mr. Huffstetler stated the Bicycling and Pedestrian Transportation Plan is a statewide plan. Mr. Holloway then asked if the committee is giving the statewide plan any consideration. Mr. Huffstetler answered the statewide plan deals with connecting city to city. Mr. Brooks stated the City will need to take the plan into account, even though it is does not address the city’s needs. Mr. Holloway asked why the City isn’t going to consider the statewide plan considering the plan is about pedestrian and bicycle paths. Mr. Brooks answered that group’s goal isn’t to specifically identify the streets that need to be updated, but to have an overall development for the State’s pedestrian and bike ways. Chairman Owens noted a subcommittee will be appointed to address this issue and if anyone is interested in joining that group they can let him know.
Mr. Light discussed Little Rock’s 2013 Master Street Plan. He explained he liked the way Little Rock laid out their plan. The document the City of Jonesboro is working off of is very vague, but the intent was to give the City the ability to negotiate with developers. Chairman Owens recommended the committee look at Little Rock’s 2013 Master Street Plan.
Discussion was held concerning design speeds and traffic calming measures. Mr. Light explained residential areas are designed for 25 mph, but some streets are designed for faster speeds in residential areas. The streets really need to be designed for 25 mph, such as putting amenities that will slow the speed. He noted the City needs to have some flexibility when it comes to this issue.
Mr. Holloway recommends pursuing this issue. He then discussed a speeding issue for his neighborhood between Scott and Marshall. He further explained the citizens in this area want to either lower the speed and/or put signs up. Councilman Street stated the city has a committee that looks at issues like that. He added they may put signs up, but he doubts they will lower the speed limit. He then questioned if signs had been added. Mr. Holloway answered he asked to be contacted when they do the signs and so far he has not been contacted so he assumes the signs have not been put up. Traffic Engineer Mark Nichols noted he will get with Captain Scott Roger concerning this. Mr. Light explained issues like these are the reason why the City is asking for language concerning requiring traffic accommodations. He added the language on page 7 of the Little Rock’s Master Street Plan is adequate (see attached).
Mr. Day motioned, seconded by Mr. Smith, to adopt the language of the traffic calming section of the Little Rock Master Street Plan into the City’s plan. All voted aye.
Discussion was held concerning traffic impact studies. Mr. Light stated the City does not have anything that allows the City to ask a developer to provide the City with a traffic impact study.
Mr. Light explained the city has made some proposals concerning the access management ordinance which is currently on hold. He recommended leaving the traffic impact study in the access management ordinance at this time.
Mr. Day explained he thinks the city should have the ability to get a traffic impact study done when it is necessary, but he doesn’t not think it is the core of what this committee is doing. Mr. Holloway stated he thinks this committee should at least have some input on it.
Mr. Owens asked if traffic impact studies need to be tabled. Mr. Light answered that would be his recommendation.
Mr. Day motioned, seconded by Mr. Smith, to table traffic impact studies and refer it to Public Works. All voted aye.
Discussion was held concerning street modification, half-street improvements and impact fees. Mr. Light the City needs to figure out at what point they start asking developers to participate in infrastructure.
Discussion was held concerning asking businesses to install right hand turn lanes.
Mr. Josh Brown explained if city had a process like Conway or Fayetteville has 80% of the projects would have not happened. He added the City needs to think about the economic impact of asking for certain improvements.
Mr. Day explained he thinks it is reasonable to ask a developer to make a turn lane into their property, but having them add an extra lane a half mile off of their property is not reasonable.
Mr. Smith discussed the new Wal-Mart Market off of Harrisburg Road. He then asked if it should be Wal-Mart’s responsible to help correct the traffic problem on that road. Mr. Light stated Wal-Mart is helping to address the traffic issue and they are paying for it. Mr. Smith stated the city needs to have something that will allow the city to ask for the businesses to address the traffic issue in their area.
Crime Analyst Basia Combs noted she thinks the city needs to look at other cities and see what kind of impact fees those cities have for developers and if they still grow economically or not. Mr. Light explained the City is looking at hiring a consultant in 2015 to see how impact fees would have on the city. Mr. Abel stated if one committee is looking at impacts then there is no need for this committee to review impact fees.
Mr. Day motioned, seconded Mr. Tate, that the discussion of impact fees ordinance be tabled. All voted aye.
Discussion was held concerning gated communities and private streets.
Mr. Light explained the City has an ordinance that does not allow for private streets to be built. He added if the property owner or the people who are using the private street are willing to maintain it then he doesn’t have a problem with private streets. He further explained he does not have any issues with gated communities, but there are connectivity issues. He added the city has no rules for gated communities to be built. He noted they should be discouraged to maintain connectivity. Mr. Tate noted he does not think this committee should have anything to do with gated communities and it should be handled through zoning.
Mr. Brooks recommended there should be a stipulation where you cannot create a gated community where a future collector street will be built.
Mr. Smith motioned, seconded by Mr. Abel, that building a gated community be prohibited on future streets that will serve as a particular function. All voted aye.
Mr. Huffstetler discussed the bicycle map that was handed out during the meeting (see attached).
Mr. Abel asked how long the bicycle plan is. Mr. Huffstetler answered it is a total of 26.2 miles and will connect the whole city around the inner and outer portions. The next phase will be Craighead Forest Park. He added the project will include a 12 foot wide trail around the park.
Mr. Huffstetler explained Joe Mack Campbell Park has power lines owned by Entergy all the way to Bono Lake that could work as a trail, but they would have to work with Entergy and Craighead County to build the trail.
Councilman Street stated there are abandoned railroad tracks that could be used for trails. Mr. Huffstetler explained the State’s bicycle and pedestrian plan includes an abandoned railroad track from Brookland to Paragould. Mr. Smith noted he is worried they would not be able to do the trail because the area would be classified as Class 1 freight hauler.
Jets Director Mr. Ewart explained Lost Creek goes from Joe Mack Campbell Park and Brookland and could be used. Mr. Street noted as long as there are no permanent structures in the area, CWL should not have a problem with building a trail. Mr. Tate stated most of Lost Creek is in a flood plain so no structures can be built in the area, but would be a good spot for a bike trail.
Mr. Day, Mr. Brown and Mr. Abel all left during the discussion of the classification map. With no quorum the meeting was adjourned.