Council tables $5,000 traffic study request for Timber Hill subdivision amid pending state action

City staff presented a proposal for a $5,000 traffic study to evaluate a request from Timber Hill residents to lower the neighborhood speed limit from 30 to 20 miles per hour. The request originated from a resident petition earlier in the year.

Planning staff said that, under city code, neighborhoods default to 30 mph unless design elements or an approved engineering study support a change. Timber Hill is a one-way-in, one-way-out neighborhood with serpentine streets, curves, curb and gutter, and sidewalks—features staff described as inherent traffic-calming measures. The police department reported no recent traffic‑related calls for service in the area, staff said.

Staff recommended caution about spending $5,000 because existing design features and the data available suggested the study might not change the posted limit. Council members noted a pending state legislative effort in past sessions that would allow municipalities to move from 30 to 25 mph without a traffic study; staff suggested waiting to see whether a similar bill is introduced and passed in the next legislative session. Council members also suggested grassroots measures, such as community signage and resident outreach, as alternatives.

A motion to table the traffic‑study proposal indefinitely carried by voice vote.