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Turnberry Place residents press council to keep road closed; council approves Ashley Grove as through street
Summary
After extensive public comment, the council considered competing proposals for Ashley Grove’s eastern terminus. A proposal to keep a permanent cul-de-sac failed; council approved changing the plan to a through street and passed the development ordinance (Bill 29‑76) on final passage.
Turnberry Place residents turned out in force June 9 to oppose re‑opening the closed Turnberry Place connection to Strecker Road, telling the City Council the narrow, curving street is unsafe for cut-through traffic and emergency response. The public comments preceded debate and votes on Ashley Grove (Bill 29‑76), a proposed 11‑lot town‑center subdivision whose terminus and access plan became the focal point of the discussion.
Residents described narrow widths, steep grades and repeated damage to temporary bollards at the blocked Turnberry connection. Trustee Andy Crow told council trustees had polled neighbors and found “98 were against” reopening out of 105 respondents; resident Ken Mezemes gave a measured, technical plea based on field measurements and his conversations with first responders, and several other neighborhood speakers asked council to preserve the closure in place.
Council consideration of Ashley Grove was contentious. Council member Albers moved an amendment to make the new street terminate in a permanent cul‑de‑sac and to remove any emergency access bollards; that amendment failed on roll call. Council member Bakker then moved an amendment to require the new internal street to be a through street (interconnected to Center Avenue), a motion seconded by Council member Nyhan; that amendment passed and the amended design became the council’s direction. After the amendment passed, council completed the required vote and adopted Bill 29‑76 by the two‑thirds majority required for final passage.
City staff emphasized sequencing and public‑safety concerns. Director Vunich and city engineers said construction of Center Avenue improvements is in the capital plan and right-of-way acquisitions are largely complete; staff said the street improvements would be required as part of the development’s infrastructure work. Several council members noted the town‑center master plan prioritizes interconnectivity and that the city has previously connected stub streets in other neighborhoods to achieve circulation and additional access points.
Council members stressed that the action does not mean immediate demolition or work on Turnberry Place; staff said any physical changes to the closed area require subsequent engineering, funding and construction steps. The final adopted ordinance permits the subdivision design with the through street connection and requires the developer to meet all standard improvement, permitting and frontage obligations.
