Town presents 15% concept design for Parkview downtown sidewalk; plan keeps angled parking, adds bump‑outs and shade

Fountain Hills staff and the town's consultant presented a 15% concept design for sidewalk infill along Parkview Avenue and adjacent downtown blocks, a project funded in part by a Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) grant.

What staff presented: Justin (town staff) introduced Ms. Yang, senior registered landscape architect with Harrington Planning & Design, who walked council through the study area, opportunities and constraints, and three preliminary concept alternatives. Staff said the presentation represents a 15% preliminary design required by the MAG grant and is part of a broader downtown planning effort.

Elements of the preferred concept (staff and consultant) - Sidewalk and travel lanes: The concept retains two travel lanes (each 12 feet in the refined concept) and an 8‑foot continuous sidewalk where feasible. - Parking and traffic calming: The preferred alternative keeps angled parking (45‑degree stalls), adds bump‑outs at intersections to shorten pedestrian crossings and creates modest traffic calming. - Streetscape and ADA: The plan adds a 2‑foot landscape strip between sidewalk and right‑of‑way, tree pits to provide shade, pedestrian lighting, benches, trash receptacles, bike racks and wayfinding signage. The consultant flagged several existing private encroachments and ramps that do not meet current ADA guidelines; the design recommends correcting ADA access points at indicted parcels. - Parking counts and cost: The consultant said the preferred concept increases the number of angled parking stalls in some segments relative to existing conditions. A preliminary, 15%‑level cost estimate was presented; the presenter described the number as being in the multi‑million‑dollar range and noted it is "vague" at the 15% level and will be refined in later design phases.

Schedule: Staff said the project will move from 15% to 30%, 60% and 90% design milestones over the coming months with final design and construction following the typical engineering procurement timeline.

Staff note: The presentation was explicitly framed as one element of a broader downtown plan and not a final construction package. Council did not take formal action on the design at this meeting; staff invited questions and said the consultant will continue design development.