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Council tables Washington Boulevard multi-use trail RFQ after concerns about trees, outreach and funding
Summary
Council declined to proceed with advertising for design services for an all-purpose trail on Washington Boulevard after members raised concerns about tree impacts, resident outreach and whether NOACA/ODOT funding had been submitted without explicit council approval; the item was tabled for further review.
The council discussed a long-planned Washington Boulevard all-purpose trail on June 16 and elected not to move forward at this meeting. City staff presented a proposal to advertise for design services for a 10-foot-wide asphalt trail intended to connect Walter Stinson Park to Kain (Kane) Park; staff said roughly 80% of construction funding would come from NOACA and ODOT if selected.
Council members voiced objections before any motion to advertise was made. Concerns included the potential removal or impact to an estimated 99 trees within the proposed corridor, the effect on property values and the adequacy of resident outreach to those who would be directly affected. Councilwoman Weiser asked where the local share (stated in the staff materials as about $448,000) had been approved, and several council members said they had not previously authorized a city commitment for that amount; staff replied that parts of the plan had been developed years earlier and that the corridor was included in the Heights regional active transportation plan.
Council members also questioned whether applications or early submissions to NOACA or ODOT had occurred without explicit council approval; staff said the project had earlier been placed on NOACA's list and that the RFQ would only begin the design process, not commit construction funds. Several members asked that resident outreach and an arborist/tree assessment be completed and that more detailed cost information and design visuals be produced before advertising for design firms.
After extended discussion, a motion to table the advertising/authorization was made and passed. Councilman King spoke in favor of moving ahead with design advertising, citing potential property-value and connectivity benefits, but the council voted to table the matter so staff can return with additional information and resident engagement plans. No design contract or commitment of local funds was approved at the June 16 meeting.
