Moab City Council hears quarterly strategic planning update on downtown, housing and transportation

Alexi, a city staff member, gave the Moab City Council a quarterly implementation update on the strategic plan on Sept. 23, outlining progress on five top priorities: downtown Main Street improvements, Walnut Lane housing, active transportation, implementation of adopted plans and natural-hazard mitigation.

The presentation said the city adopted the plan in June and began implementing it in July; this was the first quarterly status report. For downtown, staff described work tied to a road-safety audit and a trial of temporary curb bulb-outs at Center and Main, updated street lighting to emphasize intersection and crosswalk illumination, pilot pedestrian lead-time changes at signals, and replacement of aging downtown waste receptacles. Staff said 16 new pairs of trash and recycling receptacles were ordered and expected to be installed in November; some units may be wrapped with artwork later.

Alexi said the bulb-out trial includes informational signage and that, as of Sept. 19, staff had received 22 comments to be evaluated before deciding whether to pursue a permanent design. Staff and council discussed public concerns about temporary bulb-outs creating tripping hazards and dirt accumulation behind the curb pieces after recent flooding; staff said crews were removing silt and the trial will be evaluated in the coming month. Council members asked for a joint presentation with Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to explain permanent curb design, freight considerations and funding responsibilities if the city elects to pursue a long-term project on a UDOT-owned street.

On Walnut Lane, staff reported payoff of a loan on the site and ongoing challenges completing asbestos abatement on a portion of the parcel. Public Works is pursuing a contract for abatement and considering combining abatement work with another project to attract contractors; staff hoped to have a contract next month and then prepare a cleanup timeline. The planning team reported pipeline numbers: about 100 recently built multiunit housing units, 606 active building permit units in the multi-household pipeline (not including single-family or duplex permits), 188 affordable housing units in the pipeline and 94 workforce housing units. Staff said they will provide a follow-up breakdown on unit types (apartments vs. condos and bedroom counts) at council request. The council and staff noted coordination with the county's housing task force.

Active-transportation highlights included a second bid for a sidewalk project (on the council agenda that night), development of guidelines and a contract path to install high-visibility crosswalks, continued collaboration with the county on a nonmotorized trails master plan (expected to the planning commission next month and possibly council in November), and an evaluation of the Moab Area Transit (MAT) program. Staff said they had applied for a technical-assistance grant to study the fixed-route MAT service to shift demand from the popular on-demand service and improve system efficiency; staff also noted federal grant reporting requirements for a 5311 ARPA grant that supports transit operations. Wayfinding work is under discussion with Alta (the firm under contract with the county on trails) to add Moab wayfinding to the county's project scope.

On natural-hazard mitigation, staff listed ongoing projects: design work for the 300 South bridge, analysis of stormwater management along Mill Creek from 100 West to 600 West, FEMA-funded detention basin scoping (planning level), and a community wildfire protection plan being developed with the county and fire districts. Staff said the CWPP must be finished by year-end for state reimbursement eligibility in the event of wildfire. A federal funding ask for the 300 South bridge was being tracked with the city's lobbyists; staff said a continuing resolution in Congress could affect inclusion of that request.

Council members asked for more visuals and public-facing explanations for downtown bulb-outs and lighting, detailed unit-type breakdowns for housing projects in the pipeline, and clearer timelines for proposed installations (e.g., receptacles and signal timing updates). Staff said it will present findings and next steps in future meetings and return with a quarterly status update in January.

The strategic-planning update covered several interlocking projects; staff said many items will require additional public outreach, interagency coordination (notably with UDOT and the county), and potential grant funding before construction or permanent changes occur.