Council tables interlocal trail agreement after residents and council raise alignment, safety concerns

The council on April 14 tabled an interlocal agreement relating to the Falls of Green Meadows trail segment (and directed tabling of two related items) after council members said they had not been shown a design change that moves the trail crossing at Franz Road and places the multi-use trail nearer the street instead of residents’ backyards.

Council Member Gina Hicks said she had not seen the change before the meeting and was surprised by a revision on page 65 of the project map that realigns the trail. Council members who live in the area said the revised alignment would place the trail and a proposed 12-foot cross section closer to the back fences of multiple residences and require a push-button pedestrian signal at the new crossing point.

Staff said the change was made after conversations with the MUD board members and that the MUD and residents along the corridor strongly requested the relocation away from backyards to the street. A staff member explained that the relocation would provide more sight distance and include a push-button signal to help pedestrians cross Franz Road. "It's a little bit longer of a trail ... but the safety of it, I think, is a little bit better," a staff member said.

Council members requested more time to review the updated trail layout and said they wanted the plan shown to all affected homeowner associations. One council member noted that the trail width had grown from an originally planned 9 feet to a 12-foot cross section, which made the corridor tighter near a bridge and guardrail and brought the trail closer to private fences.

After discussion, a motion to table the Falls of Green Meadows item and the two companion interlocal items was moved and seconded; council approved the motion on a voice vote and asked staff to return with the trail layout and additional communications to the MUD and HOAs before taking the items up again.